Fatale
by JustBFree
Summary: The past returns to haunt Horatio and what remains of his family. A kidnapping, violence, a rescue. Will there be a peaceful end or will vengeance be the end of them all?
1. Chapter 1

The call came in early, before the colors of Miami awoke with the sun. It hadn't been his detail, but there were standing orders to alert him to any and all activity that came from _that house. _

By the time he'd crossed the city, leaving a fresh murder case to Eric and Ryan, several county cruisers were lined along the block. The sinking feeling of dread descended on him at the familiar sight of the yellow crime scene tape, he could feel his palms start to sweat. Swallowing, Horatio parked close to the house and approached a uniformed officer, demanding information.

"Officer, what's happened here? The radio said burglary."

The younger officer straightened his stance upon recognizing Liutenant Caine. It was rumored that the man's personal life had become strikingly more complicated in the past year, but it appeared the man cared enough to check in on what remained of his family. "Yes sir, it appeared that way initially," the officer began as Horatio started walking toward the entrance of the grand house, unwilling to wait for the full brief. "A young man called it in, Kyle Harmon."

"My son. Where is he?"

The officer directed Horatio to the living room, where he could see Kyle was being questioned by another officer. The relief that Kyle was unharmed swept over him, but Horatio was not done. "You said this was initially thought to be a burglary."

"Yes sir. Signs of forced entry, the house alarm went off, we've already checked with the alarm company. The intruders came in through the back, set off the alarm but did not retreat." The officer informed him, checking his report notes.

Horatio nodded. "Any idea what they were after?"

"The boy has not reported anything stolen, however the homeowner is missing."

Horatio stopped, turned to face him fully. "Julia Winston is gone?"

"Yes, sir. The boy's testimony was that he struggled with the intruders before the mother stepped in and went with the intruders willingly, going so far as to warn him not to call the police. The intruders then hustled the woman into a black Hummer and sped off. The boy caught two numbers on the license plate and from what we can see, he did not hesitate before calling it in." The officer finished.

Horatio glanced at the officer's badge. "Good work Mr...Carson. I'll be sure to tell your captain. Thank you."

The officer left to check in with the traffic patrol in hopes of gaining news of the mystery Hummer's whereabouts, while Horatio went to his son. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Kyle."

The boy turned to face his father, visibly shaken. Horatio noted the darkening bruise on his son's face, strengthening his resolve to find who had hurt his child. "Dad, they broke in- I tried to scare them off but they wouldn't leave. Mom just went along with them, I couldn't protect her!"

Horatio shook his head. "Kyle, listen to me. There is more going on here than a simple break-in. I need you to concentrate. What did they say to Julia? What made her want to leave with them?"

Kyle closed his eyes, his mind racing to recall what had happened. "I...I don't know, I don't know why she went with them. I mean, I was trying to fight these guys off, to get them out of the house. She came downstairs. She had a gun, she pointed it at one guy but didn't fire. I think she just wanted to scare them away."

"Did you recognize any of them?"

Kyle shook his head. "Three of them were wearing ski masks, and it was too dark, I couldn't make out any faces. The fourth guy...he stood apart from everything. I didn't get a good enough look, I only saw him for a second- he walked in through the patio doors, under the porch light. He wasn't wearing a mask, but there was something wrong with his face!" Kyle exclaimed, panicked at the memory and terrified for his mother.

Horatio guided Kyle into sitting on the sofa, and sat down beside his son, inwardly hating that no matter what he did he could not protect his child from the world. "Calm down, Kyle. Come on, take a deep breath and try to calm down. Talk to me. What was wrong with his face?"

Kyle did what his father asked, taking deep breaths. Despite it all, the presence of his father was a great comfort. Horatio reached forward and hugged the boy, a first for them both, but it was a welcome gesture. Kyle took a final deep breath. "He...there were scars. Really deep, all over his face, but mostly on the right side. I think he had dark hair, but I only saw him for a second, I'm not sure."

Horatio's eyes bore into Kyle's, searching for signs of a lie, but finally the man nodded, satisfied his son had told him the truth. "All right son. Listen to me. Here's what's going to happen. These officers are going to take you to the hospital to get checked out."

"No, they only hit me a couple of times-"

"I know you think you're fine, son, but it's standard procedure. After you get checked out, I'll take you back to my place. You'll stay there until we get this figured out, all right?"

Kyle wanted to argue, but Horatio's words had a finality to them that he knew better than to challenge. Relenting to his father, he nodded. "Okay. I'll go. But dad?"

"Yeah, son?"

"Find out who did this."

Slipping on his sunglasses as the sun began to rise from the sea, Horatio nodded. "I intend to."


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't long before the team had descended on the home Kyle had shared with his mother for the past year. Horatio had briefed them with Kyle's testimony, and was thankful that he didn't have to voice his concern that there was more to the incident than a simple break-in and kidnapping. Though none had met Julia, they knew that there was more to her than met the eye, and so far none of it had turned out well.

"Eric, check the patio, the floor, the doors, everything for prints. Also, there may be blood- Kyle tried fighting them off, he may have got in a shot or two." Horatio said, a hint of pride coloring his words.

Eric nodded and glanced over the area, his gaze resting on Calliegh for just a moment longer than necessary. "You got it H. Where are you going?"

"I'm heading to the hospital. Kyle will be out soon."

"All right. We'll cover the house- if there's a clue here, we'll find it."

Horatio nodded. "I expect no less."

* * *

Horatio left Julia's house with a vague feeling of relief. The trappings of the overly wealthy always made him a little uncomfortable; he didn't need the reminder that his year's salary wouldn't cover the cost of her mansion's doorknob.

He got behind the wheel of the CSI Hummer and sighed. He had faith in his team to discover just what had happened early that morning. Obviously Julia knew the assailant with the scarred face, why else would she have gone with them willingly? The four men, whoever they were, had broken into the house with the intent to kidnap or even kill, and she had surrendered herself, even warned Kyle to stay out of it.

Horatio ran a hand through his hair, not wanting to jump to a conclusion, but unable to keep himself from developing a theory: the four men may have been from Julia's shaded past. Perhaps she was back to her old tricks and made a mistake, some slip up that had led the men right to her door.

It was a working theory and with Julia's past it wasn't too outlandish.

_'Don't start making up stories. Follow the evidence.'_

Reminding himself of the time, Horatio hurried to pull into traffic, escaping from the neighborhood and heading out to the hospital.

* * *

"Have you found mom yet?"

Horatio looked up to see Kyle heading straight toward him in the hospital lobby, ignoring the protesting doctor at his heels.

"I'm sorry, sir, he's refusing to stay for observation." The harried doctor explained upon seeing the badge at Horatio's belt.

He shook his head, somehow proud that Kyle was showing a bit of defiance. "It's quite all right, doctor. My son has had a rough start to the day."

The doctor nodded. "I understand, but we've examined him. He'll be all right, but I recommend that he take it easy for the next few days, and to keep ice on the bruise around his eye to keep it from swelling. I've also prescribed a painkiller to ease the ache."

Horatio nodded and pocketed the prescription note, then turned to Kyle. "How are you feeling?"

"Forget about me, where's mom?" The boy asked forcefully, irritated that Horatio and his doctor had spoken as if he hadn't been standing there with them. He had gone through too much to be treated like any other child.

"We haven't found her yet, son, but my team is over there now. They're processing the scene. If there's so much as a spec out of place, they'll find it." Horatio reassured him. "You'll be staying with me for now, but we can head back there and pick up some of your things."

Kyle sighed slightly, disappointed that they hadn't found anything yet. Somewhere out there, his mother was in trouble. His mind raced with all that could be happening to her, blaming himself._ I should have been able to protect her, she needed me and I let them take her._

"You're sure your team will find the guys that did this?"

Horatio nodded, then stepped aside to let Kyle walk past him, to the Hummer just outside the hospital doors. "I'm more than sure, son, I'm positive."

* * *

Traffic was unusually light for mid-morning in Miami, and so Horatio made great time in getting back to the Winston home. He sometimes wondered why Julia had kept her dead husband's name; she had played the fraud game for years and truth be told, he wasn't sure that _Julia_ was even her true first name.

Well, a rose by any other name and all that, Horatio didn't care what she called herself so long as she could stay out of trouble and keep their son on the right track. So far the road had been rocky at best, but this was the worst yet. Where had Julia gone, and who was she with? Was she safe where she was, or even alive?

His relationship with the woman was complicated- they trusted each other only to the point that neither of them would hurt Kyle, but beyond that...

Horatio shook his head. There would be time to reflect on his past and present with Julia some other time. Right now the only thing that mattered was reassuring Kyle and getting him settled. He parked and the two strode back into the mansion. "All right, why don't you run up to your room and pack a bag? I'm going to check in with my team."

Kyle nodded and mounted the stairs as Horatio headed toward Natalia, who was leading toward the front door. "What do we have so far?"

The woman's doe eyes widened upon seeing him again. "I didn't hear you come in. Where's Kyle?"

"He's upstairs. Packing. The scene?"

She nodded, gracing him with a small smile. "Right. We've lifted a few partials from the doorknob and taken trace from the patio, Delko's already gone back to the lab with Wolfe. Ryan's working on Julia's phone records and emails for the past few weeks to see if she's been in contact with any familiar faces. Calleigh's checking in with the neighbors on either side of the house to see if they saw anything suspicious, and I was just on my way out to question the neighborhood guard."

Horatio raised his brows, impressed with what had been gained in the past few hours since the incident. "Miss Boa Vista, there's a neighborhood guard?"

"Right, a Charles Walter. This neighborhood only has two entrances, the discreet entrace we've used is for service vehicles and homeowners only; a tracer is attached to every neighborhood vehicle, which activates the gate. It's under video surveillance and can be controlled remotely by the guard on duty. There's a guard booth on the main neighborhood entrance that faces Ocean Parkway- based on Kyle's testimony, our mystery Hummer was heading toward that entrace, which means..." Natalia let the sentence hang, a playful look in her eye.

"The guard let them in. Thank you, Natalia. Keep me posted."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm taking my son home."

* * *

Horatio headed into his neighborhood; he lived in a small bungalo-styled house toward the outskirts of Miami. Nowhere near as grand as Julia's mansion, but at least it had been acquired through his own hard work and honesty. It occurred to him that Kyle had never come for a visit, not once.

Kyle hefted his bag and followed Horatio into the house. He looked around and tried to picture this man, his father, actually living in the place. It wasn't that the house was lacking, everything he could see seemed to be in fine condition, just that Horatio obviously wasn't there often enough to appear totally comfortable in his own home.

"I know it's not what you're used to, but it'll have to do for now." Horatio said as he shrugged out of his suit jacket. There had been so much activity that morning, now that they were alone a great gulf of silence had opened between them; things suddenly seemed awkward.

Perhaps their pasts were to blame; Horatio had had such a horrible relationship with his own father, was it any wonder that he didn't know where to start in dealing with his own son? And Kyle was no better, a parade of neglecting foster parents had left him with little trust for anyone other than Julia.

"You hungry? Why don't you make yourself a sandwich and I'll clear out the guest room for you." Horatio suggested.

Kyle only nodded and dropped his bag on the floor as his father stepped into the first room down the narrow hall to the left of the kitchen. He could hear Kyle moving around the kitchen, and Horatio quickly cleared space in the small dresser and closet. A small bed had already been placed in the room, typically it had been for Ray Jr., but in all honesty Horatio couldn't remember the last time his nephew had slept over.

He hoped Kyle would be all right with the room; Horatio didn't know what to expect if the worst happened and Julia's kidnappers turned on her. Taking a moment, he sank onto the edge of the bed and rested his elbows on his knees. In his way, he still cared for Julia. It wasn't love, but the last thing he wanted was for her to be hurt.

He had loved her once, she was the mother of his child, and he had held a hope that their relationship might heal if given enough time...

"Dad?"

Horatio looked up to see Kyle in the doorway, holding a plate with a few sandwiches for them to share. "Yeah, Kyle. I was just...just setting up your room here." He said, quickly standing.

Kyle nodded and moved aside to let Horatio out of the room. "Thank you. It looks great."

It didn't. The room was bare, lacking in any personal touch, and the small window faced the brick wall of the house next door. But Kyle had been in much worse places, and now that he'd served time he knew the value of freedom- any small comfort was a blessing. He put his bag on the floor and turned to face his father. "What do you think happened to her?"

The helpless despair of his son's question galvanized Horatio into action; no matter what, he would see this through to the end.

"I don't know yet, son, but I'm going to find out."


	3. Chapter 3

Kyle laid back on the small bed, his eyes roving over the light gray walls of the bare room. His mother was gone, taken away from him again and he'd been powerless to stop what had happened- but what _had_ happened?! His father had told him that Julia had a shaded past, but that was true of all of them. Had Julia just left him again, abandoning him for the more dangerous, exciting life she'd once gloried in as a skilled con-artist?

The boy closed his eyes, trying to recall the details of that morning.

Kyle had started awake at the shriek of the house alarm. There had been voices downstairs- men were in the house. Without thinking, he'd gone after them with the blind determination of a guard dog, intent to protect his mother and their home. It had done no good. Three grown men against one teenage boy. He'd lashed out a them, landed a few blows of his own, but there had been one man who'd hit him hard enough to bring him down.

The man had been ready to kill him, but they had all frozen at the familiar clicking of a handgun. Turning, Kyle had seen his mother standing, eerily calm, at the bottom of the stairs. Her gun had been pointing at the heart of the man who'd been standing over Kyle, ready to kill him. "Get away from my son." Julia had ordered. "I won't say it again." Her voice had been level and strong.

The man had backed off, and Kyle had scrambled to his feet to stand beside his mother. Another man, the fourth, moved across the patio threshold. He'd felt Julia shift beside him, and before he knew it, she was leaving to go with the men. "Kyle, don't follow us, don't call the police- they'll kill you if you do. I love you." Whatever bravery she'd had at first had disappeared- eyes wide, hands trembling, Julia had been terrified.

Before he could stop them, the men had hustled Julia out of the house- he'd watched as the larger man roughly shoved her into the back of the black Hummer.

"Kyle."

His eyes snapped open to see his father in the doorway to his room. The man had put on his suit jacket once again and was fingering the keys to his police vehicle. Kyle sat up. "What happened?"

"I'm going back to the station. You need to stay here."

The boy moved off the bed, visibly anxious. "Did they find her?"

Horatio shook his head. "No. They brought in a witness. I'm going to question him."

Kyle searched his father's eyes. "But what about the house? You said your team was going to process it-"

"And that takes time. We have to cover every lead. This witness may have seen something that could help us, help Julia. I need you to stay here." Horatio turned to leave, feeling the familiar inner excitement at pursuing a lead. If the neighborhood guard knew who took Julia, they were that much closer to finding her.

Horatio stepped out of his house and headed to the Hummer once again, apprehensive about what he might learn. Was Julia in danger or had everything all been part of some plan? He knew she was capable, but why stage her own kidnapping? Why bring the boy into the middle of something like this?

Despite all that had happened between them, Horatio had seen the caring side of her- he trusted that she wouldn't allow their son to come to harm. Motherhood had been awkward for her at first- finding her son over a decade after leaving him in the care of her mother, Julia and Kyle had needed time to come to terms with the change. But she loved her son, Horatio had to remember that.

He pulled up to the station and headed toward the glass room typically used for interrogation. Stopping just outside the door, he could see the neighborhood guard sitting at the table across from Natalia. Eric moved to stand beside him. "Horatio, we've come up with some DNA matches found at the scene. All former convicts, released within the past three years. We've got uniforms on it now."

Horatio nodded. "Thank you, Eric. I'm going to see what our neighborhood watchman saw last night."

The men parted ways, Eric heading out into the field and Horatio into the interrogation room. Natalia looked up at him and then back to the guard. "All right, Mr. Walter, why don't you tell Lt. Caine what you just told me?"

Horatio came around the table to stand behind Natalia, silently searching the man's face for any sign of a lie. The man was older than Horatio himself, portly, with thinning gray hair and narrow glasses. The guard cleared his throat. "Like I told your officers and now Ms. Boa Vista here, I didn't see anything last night."

"I find that hard to believe. It's in your job description to monitor the traffic going in and out of Harbor Hills." Horatio returned smoothly.

The guard did not flinch. "I never saw that truck."

"Who said it was a truck? We never revealed that to you, so let's try again. Did someone pay you not to see that truck?" Natalia demanded. "We've already confiscated the recordings from the guard booth cameras and we've got a missing woman. You were in control of the neighborhood gates. Why bother lying now when we already know you're involved in this?"

Inwardly, Horatio approved of Natalia's direct method. The guard was already faltering under their steady stares. Charles look away from their eyes, his fingers fidgeting in his lap like a nervous boy. "I...I might have..."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear that." Horatio urged.

Charles relented, understanding now that he had been used and a woman might have paid the price for the part he played. There was no point in lying anymore. "$5,000. All I had to do was open the service gate and look the other way when they left. I didn't know they were going to hurt anyone."

_It always comes down to the money._

Horatio felt frustrated, angry that once again, he was confronted with a man who would allow a woman and child to suffer so long as he was paid. It made him sick but he couldn't allow his feelings to get in the way; he and his team had to treat this case the same as any other- they would follow the evidence and get to the bottom of the mystery. Emotion had no place on the job.

"You didn't know they were going to hurt anyone. What exactly did you think they planned to do when they got into the neighborhood that you were already being paid to protect?" Horatio demanded.

The guard didn't appear fazed by the question. "They didn't say and I didn't ask. Those rich bastards barely paid me above minimum wage, anyone else in my position would have taken the money."

Horatio glared at him. "Not anyone, Mr. Walter. Just you." He glanced up to the officer at the door. "Get him out of my sight."

Natalia watched as the officer hustled Walter to the front desk for booking, then turned to her Lieutenant. "Horatio, are you all right?"

The inviting concern in the younger woman's eyes was almost painful. The man needed to vent his frustrations but he couldn't afford to lose focus on finding Julia. "No, I'm not all right, and Kyle won't be until we find Julia." Horatio confessed. "You said Ryan was going through the surveillance tapes?"

Natalia nodded. "Yes, he's been in the AV lab since we came back from the crime scene this morning."

Horatio was already on the move. "Thank you Ms. Boa Vista."

* * *

"The guard was definitely involved." Ryan said upon greeting as Horatio stepped in through the glass doors.

Horatio nodded. "I know. It was a five grand payoff to let them in. Have you found the footage yet?"

Ryan zoomed in on the screen. "Yeah, I have it right here. Check out the time stamp. Here, at 4:45am the guard let the Hummer into the neighborhood by the service entrance and here," Ryan brought up a separate screen which overlooked the guard booth outside the neighborhood. "This is the Hummer leaving about half an hour later through the main entrance."

The camera had a grainy focus, the footage had been taken before sunrise and the Hummer sported a set of dark tinted windows. It was impossible to see if Julia was even in the vehicle to begin with, let alone whether or not she was injured. Horatio shook his head. "The license plate?"

"We might be able to lift a couple more numbers and then match them with Kyle's testimony. It's gonna take some time to sharpen the focus from this footage."

"Double time, Mr. Wolfe."

* * *

Eric stared at the display of suspects that had come up as a result of the fingerprints and DNA lifted from the scene. The suspects were a mixed batch, their talents ranging from armed robbery to grand theft auto.

He turned to find Horatio behind him, coldly assessing the display of suspects. "GTA. We can assume the Hummer was stolen then."

Delko nodded. "Maybe. I took the numbers from Kyle's testimony and ran it through the system. There are a possible forty matches."

"Any crossover with our list?"

"None so far, but I'm going to check with the auto division to see if any of these Hummers have been reported stolen. The day's still young, H."

"And it's getting older, Eric. We need more than this."

"I'm on it."

* * *

Calleigh rushed down the hall, her eyes searching for Horatio. She spotted Ryan and headed toward him. "Have you seen Horatio? Something just arrived for him." She said breathlessly, holding the small package.

"I saw him a little while ago, he was asking about the footage from the guard booth. You think that's related to the kidnapping?"

Calleigh turned the small box over to show Ryan the block letters on one side. It read: **For Horatio, From Julia**

Ryan raised his brows, "I think that's worth a look. I'll call him."

Three minutes later, and Horatio was in the lab. Calleigh and Ryan stood on the other side of the table with him, all were wearing the necessary lab coats and gloves, ready to tear into the box for any evidence. Whatever happened in Julia's past, there was still a boy out there missing his mother, they had to remember that.

Horatio stripped the tiny box's wrapping and placed it in a bag to be taken to DNA. Whoever had wrapped the box likely left some fingerprints. Carefully, Horatio revealed the box itself. Strangely, it was a typical velvet box that jewelry stores used when a customer took their purchases. The box was small, the size used for a ring. The three pairs of eyes were focused as Horatio opened the box.

There, in between the two velvet inserts, was a bloody fingernail.


	4. Chapter 4

For a long moment, no one spoke. The lab was silent as the situation was absorbed. Horatio's face had drained of color, leaving him startlingly pale. He suddenly looked as if he'd aged 10 years in two minutes.

Ryan slowly reached forward, taking the small box and placing it in an evidence bag. "I'll take this to trace and DNA." He said quietly.

The words of Mr. Wolfe barely registered. Horatio felt dizzy, an overwhelming sense of helplessness coming over him. Julia had been kidnapped, and now she was out there, somewhere, being ripped apart.

_Julia. The mother of my child, she's..._

"Horatio?"

He snapped back to the present, startled to find Calleigh beside him, her hand over his shoulder, a look of concern on her pretty face. He couldn't speak for his despair. Someone was torturing Julia as a way to get to him- why else would the nail have been addressed to him? It was him. He was to blame for the abduction and whatever pain Julia was facing now.

Horatio felt his stomach drop, his hands started shaking.

_They're killing her because of me..._

Calleigh moved before him and cupped his face, forcing his eyes to meet hers. "Horatio. We will find out who did this, do you hear me? We'll find them."

Horatio took a deep breath, clearing his mind of the horrors that were flooding his imagination, all visions of Julia being tortured. If he let his feelings get the best of him now, he would be useless in the search. He knew that Julia needed him to focus on finding the men who took her.

Calleigh watched as Horatio pulled himself together, returning once again to the man she knew: cold, calculating and determined beyond all odds.

She was relieved to see him back to normal; Horatio was their leader, they needed him. Horatio took a deep breath, snapping his mind into action. "Right. Calleigh, check the wrapping tape for fingerprints and cross-check it with the list of suspects Eric compiled from the initial crime scene. Get Ryan to check for trace on the...object in the box, and double-check the DNA profile. We need to be sure we're looking for the right woman."

"Yes Horatio, I'll call you as soon as we have the findings."

Horatio nodded as she left the lab, leaving him alone with his thoughts. They flooded in, too powerful now for him to ignore. The memories of the past he shared with Julia, the love, the passion, the betrayal and the animosity. He felt sick all over again, thinking that out there, she could very well be dead or even worse, she was alive and slowly being taken apart by someone with a score to settle against him.

His list of enemies was too long to even make a guess as to who it could be; and Julia could be anywhere.

It wasn't often that he appealed to the higher powers, but Horatio couldn't stop himself from sending out the desperate, infantile prayer:_ 'Please, God, don't let her be hurt, let Julia be safe and I'll never fight with her again.'_

He stood for a moment, feeling lost, but he knew he couldn't stand in the lab for much longer. Julia needed him to focus, she needed him to find her, to bring her back to their son. Horatio moved out of the lab and headed toward Eric. "Eric, any word on the stolen vehicles reports?"

Eric looked at him for a moment. "H, are you all right? You look a little sick."

"I'm fine. The vehicles reports." Horatio urged.

Eric nodded, though he was worried for his friend. "We've got one possible lead. Black Hummer, reported stolen last night. Tinted windows. The license plates match the numbers Kyle gave in his testimony and Wolfe was able to clean up that footage for the rest of the plate. The vehicle does have a GPS system, but it's likely the suspects cut the tracker because the signal cut out around 2am."

Dread rose in Horatio's chest but he forced himself to ignore it. "All right. What's the next step?"

Eric lifted his keys from his pocket. "I was going to head over to the dealership now and convince them to activate it remotely."

Clinging to that glimmer of hope, Horatio lead the way out the door. "Let's go."

* * *

"Here we offer our clients the top of the line security, with the GPS systems standard on all of our vehicles."

Horatio wasn't interested in the dealership manager's sales pitch. He was pared down to the core, exhausted with bottled frustration. He handed the manager a piece of paper with the Hummer's license number written on it. "Activate this vehicle please."

The manager, Rob Jones, a forty-three year old father of three with perfect teeth, hair and fashion sense- typical for Miami- frowned slightly at Horatio's deadpan order. "Are you the owner, sir?"

Sensing the tension, Eric stepped in. "We're with the Miami Dade PD. This vehicle was stolen and may be involved in a kidnapping that occurred early this morning. The suspects likely disabled the vehicle tracker, so we need you to activate the GPS remotely."

Rob nodded, feeling the gravity of the situation, and took the paper over to his office computer. Delko stood beside him, watching the process, while Horatio stared out the window, keeping watch in case anything suspicious occurred.

The rapid clicking of keys echoed in the large office, but finally a triumphant _beep-beep_ alerted them to the Hummer's location. Horatio looked to Eric. The younger man nodded. "South warehouse district, just outside Pier 27."

No words were needed.

Horatio strode out of the office and God help anyone that got in his way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback, guys! Keep the reviews coming, they keep me motivated!**

* * *

Horatio gunned the engine to his Hummer, barely giving Eric enough time to get into his seat and alert the need for backup. He knew Horatio had a very personal investment in the case; whatever animosity there was toward Julia after learning of her past, Horatio had set it aside and put everything he had into finding her.

Plowing through the chained gates of the warehouse yard, Horatio eased off the gas just enough to slow his Hummer so that he and Eric could scan the area for the stolen vehicle and more importantly, for any sign of Julia. Eric looked to his immediate right. "H, there it is."

Horatio followed Eric's indication and sped toward the black Hummer. The men exited and carefully approached the vehicle, wary of any movement in the area. Eric glanced at the license plate to double-check the numbers, then looked into the windows. He shook his head at Horatio. "Empty. Think they could be in one of these warehouses?"

Horatio nodded and slipped on his sunglasses. "Only one way to find out."

Together, they approached the nearest building, an old structure held together by rusting sheet metal walls and the lewd graffiti coloring the front doors. The men circled the building, looking for a line of sight. Eric noticed a broken window and cocked his head, the familiar gesture for Horatio to advance. Before Horatio could take a look, the sound of a woman's scream broke through the air, coupled with the laughter of several men.

He recognized Julia's voice instantly, and in that moment, two things happened to Horatio Caine:

He realized that Julia was alive and that he would kill whoever touched her.

Eric watched the familiar look of cold determination steel over Horatio's face. "H, think we should we wait for backup?"

Julia screamed again. It was all Horatio had to hear. "No, we're going in."

* * *

She didn't know where she was. She didn't know how long she'd been there.

There were distant voices, cruel laughter, taunting comments and always, always, the constant, blinding pain.

Julia had floated in and out of consciousness for the past few hours, since the first beatings had started. Even now, she was only half-aware of the cold, gritty floor beneath her, the near scent of metal and oil. Her mind had retreated, traumatized, terrified, damaged.

_God, it's over- this is the end for me. Don't let them hurt my son, save him, save him..._

Distantly, she could hear gunshots cracking in the air, the heavy thump of bodies falling to the floor.

What was happening...?

Who was shooting...?

Julia couldn't think, couldn't move for the pain. She tried to open her eyes, only to wince painfully at the effort; pain coursed through her body, stinging where she'd been cut, throbbing where she'd been hit or kicked. She was defenseless, dying. _I can't...I can't..._

"Julia, Julia, listen to me, you have to stay awake, do you hear me? Stay awake, medical assistance over here, now!"

The voice was familiar, reassuring. There was a hand on her face, the fist gentle touch she'd felt that day.

Julia tried to make sense within the injured prison of her body, but her focus was fading, fading...

* * *

Horatio followed the ambulance closely in traffic, never taking his eyes off the vehicle. Julia was inside, receiving IV fluid as the EMTs inside worked to stop the bleeding from her stab wounds. He had worked in law enforcement for decades, but even Horatio could admit that he had never been as scared as he'd been today upon seeing Julia lying on the floor of that warehouse, naked, bleeding, and broken.

At first he'd been sure she was dead, but then she had moved, just the slightest attempt to turn her head. Relief had flooded through him. Julia was many things, but she was , first and foremost, a survivor. He'd called over the medical team that had arrived with police backup and helped to load her into the back of the ambulance, electing to follow them rather than ride along with her.

He wasn't sure he could take seeing her being prodded and manhandled, even if it was to save her life.

As he parked, Horatio watched as the team wheeled her stretcher into the emergency room. Exhausted, he took a few deep breaths and glanced at his cell phone. A lone text from Kyle blinked at him: **Did u find mom yet?!**

Swallowing, Horatio knew he had to tell his son the truth, no matter how horrible the circumstances were. Quickly, he dialed Kyle's cell phone. The boy picked it up on the first ring. "Did you find her yet?" Was the first question the boy had for him.

Horatio closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, Kyle, we found her. She's alive."

He could hear the boy's relief at the news, but then the more difficult questions came. "...is she hurt?"

The man hesitated. How could he tell his son what those animals had done to her? "Yes, she's at the hospital now."

"God, how bad is it? I'm coming down there!" Kyle declared. On the other end of the line, he was already reaching for his jacket, ready to take a bus, walk or even hitch-hike to his mother's hospital room.

"It's bad, Kyle. Don't leave the house yet. Give them time to work on her, and I'll call you after I speak with a doctor, do you hear me? Stay at the house."

"But dad-"

"Do as I say, son."

Horatio didn't give him the opportunity to argue as he snapped his phone closed and exited his Hummer. The walk up to the hospital seemed somehow longer, the air heavier. He ignored the painful knot in his stomach and headed into the building, slipping off his sunglasses and scanning for a doctor to speak with.

The medical staff was rushing in all different directions, a flurry of brightly colored scrubs. Horatio headed down the nearest hallway, searching the gallery windows until he found her in room 14. He stopped a nurse on her way out of the room. "I need an update on the woman in there," he said, showing his badge.

The young nurse nodded. "Yes, sir. She's lost a lot of blood and her body has suffered severe trauma. They're working to restore her IVs and check for any internal bleeding. So far there's no sign, but the trauma she's suffered may impact the effort to regulate her fluids."

"What are her chances?"

"It's too early to tell, sir."

Horatio nodded. "All right. She came in with no ID, but I know the victim. I can fill in the blanks as far as her medical record."

The nurse tried to give him a reassuring smile. "That would be a great help." She retrieved the blank room chart and readied her pen.

"All right, her name is Julia Winston. I believe her to be about 34 years old. She lives at 121 Harbor Hills, and she's on medication for hallucinatory bi-polar disorder. She was taken from her home at about 5am this morning, obviously missing her dosage."

"Sir do you know the medication she was using?"

"No, I don't, but her use is on record. I have the name of her doctor."

So it went for several more minutes, Horatio allowing the nurse to document everything he could remember about Julia when it came to her medical history and the impersonal facts such as her occupation and office address. He did the best he could with what little information he had, but Horatio was infinitely more concerned with her medical treatment.

Horatio didn't want to face the possibility, but if the worst happened, how could he look into Kyle's eyes and tell him his mother had been killed?

He took a cup of bad hospital coffee and sat down in the nearest waiting room, helpless once again and hating every minute of it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Loving the feedback, please read & review!**

* * *

Kyle paced through his father's small house, restless, anxious and growing angrier by the minute. Why hadn't Horatio called him back? Who had taken his mother? How bad were her injuries?

_They took her, they hurt her...I should have been able to protect her, this is all my fault..._

He'd been waiting for word from his father for hours, the only news he'd been given was that Julia was in the hospital. He had been told nothing else. There had to be more to know, and he deeply resented his father keeping him in the dark about what was happening to his mother.

Didn't he have a right to know?

"To hell with this, I'm going down there." Kyle declared to the empty house. Striding into his room and emerging again a moment later wearing his leather jacket, Kyle walked into the front yard. It was late in the evening already, the sky a dusky dark blue and spotted with fading orange clouds. He didn't care, he would walk across the country to get back to his family.

Kyle stopped just beyond the house mailbox when he'd glanced up to see a tan Hummer with the familiar tag of _Crime Scene Investigation_ along the side. His heart kicked hard twice in his chest, expecting to see his father pull into the gravel driveway. Instead, the Hummer pulled up to the curb and to his surprise, a pretty pair of women were in the driver and passenger seats. The driver, a brunette, looked him up and down. "Kyle Harmon?"

"Yeah."

The blonde smiled sweetly at him. "We're friends of your father's, he wanted us to bring you to the hospital. He said we shouldn't be surprised if you'd already taken off on your own."

Despite everything, Kyle ended up smiling. "I...yeah, I was planning to walk there if I had to. I haven't heard anything since this afternoon." He explained as he settled into the backseat of the Hummer. "Do you know anything about it?"

The brunette graced him with a soft smile. "I'm sure your father will be able to answer those questions better than we can. Just buckle up, ok?"

Kyle nodded slightly and did as she asked, feeling the same dread resettle in his stomach. Horatio had sent these women to fetch him rather than bring him there himself, and he'd obviously asked them not to reveal anything about Julia's condition. Horatio was keeping him in the dark again. He sighed slightly and watched the landscapes change out the window as the Hummer made its way back to the hospital.

* * *

Horatio was there, standing outside Julia's room, waiting for him when Kyle rounded the corner. "Dad? What happened to her?"

Looking up, Horatio took a breath. "My team is still processing the evidence to find out who did this to her, son. What we do know is that, whoever they were, they beat her and...Julia very nearly died today. She's stable now, but sedated."

Kyle's face lost a fair amount of color at the news, but he knew that the important thing was that she was alive. His father had saved her. "God, I...can I see her?"

Horatio nodded. "Yeah, you can see her, but Kyle you need to be careful not to touch her. They...did things to her hands and face."

Kyle felt sick with dread at what was on the other side of the door, but he had to see his mother, he had to tell her he loved her and that he would take care of her when she came back home. Horatio stood aside to let Kyle into the room, then followed him inside. The lights had been dimmed considerably to allow the patient greater comfort, but no amount of darkness could chase away Julia's pain.

Unable to stop himself, Kyle moved closer to the bed. It was her, his mother...but somehow she was completely different, almost alien. Her beautiful face had been beaten. Angry bruises covered her cheeks, her eyes were swollen, her lip cut. Kyle's eyes moved lower. Fingermarks were on her neck- some bastard had been choking her. Bandages and then the thin hospital blanket covered her from the chest down. Her left forearm was wrapped in a cast, three of her fingers were heavily bandaged.

Kyle felt his father's hand on his back, steadying him, but it was too much. The boy sank into a chair near his mother's bedside, feeling sick just looking at her. "Dad, who did this?"

Horatio put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "We don't know yet, son, but I promise we'll find out."

"Who would do this? She hasn't done anything wrong." Kyle couldn't tear his eyes away from the battered sight on the narrow hospital bed. "She's been wonderful since that first day she came for me in jail. This didn't have to happen, I could have fought them off, I should've been able to protect her!"

Horatio kneeled before his son's chair, bringing their eyes level. "Kyle, son, listen to me. There was nothing you could have done to stop them. They would have just killed you if you'd tried any harder to protect her. Calling the police was the right thing to do. Julia is alive because of that. I- Kyle, I shot two of the men in the warehouse where we found her, and we'll find the other two responsible for this. If we had gotten there any later, your mother would be in the morgue. You saved her, Kyle, by sending us after her, do you understand me?" Horatio implored.

Kyle turned away to wipe away his tears, embarassed at having become so upset before the man. "Yeah."

"I said, do you understand me?" Horatio asked again.

"Yes, sir."

They were quiet for awhile then, their eyes remaining on Julia, watching for any sign of awareness from her. There was none for several hours. Eventually, Horatio had Natalia drive Kyle back home, assuring the boy that he would soon to join him.

He sat at Julia's bedside, willing her to wake up, to heal in an instant and come back to her strong, beautiful self.

She didn't move.

He glanced at his watch, torn between watching over her and joining their son at his house. In the end, Horatio decided that Kyle needed him now more than Julia. Their son needed him, he had no choice but to leave. He stood and put on his jacket. He had nearly turned to leave, but couldn't stop himself from taking a moment to smooth the hair back from Julia's face. He leaned down to speak to her, his voice very low.

"Julia, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I got two of them for you, but we both know there were more men involved in this. I'll get them too, but I need you to get through this. Kyle needs you to make it through this. Always remember that."

Horatio would have given her a soft kiss to say good night, but he couldn't bear the thought that it might cause her pain.


	7. Chapter 7

Kyle had not bothered trying to sleep after Natalia had dropped him off back at his father's house. He'd only thanked her and gone into his little room to think. He laid on the bed, his mind swimming from one thought to another. He was exhausted, and infinitely relieved to know that his mother had not been killed, but she had been beaten beyond recognition- why? Who would do something like that to her, especially now when their lives were finally on the right track?

The boy understood now why Horatio had been trying to protect him; no child should ever have to see their mother in such a state. It was horrible.

_She's alive, but I would have killed those men if it meant she didn't have to go through that-_

Kyle sat up as he heard a car in the driveway, a door slam and heavy footsteps approach the front door of the house. He moved into the hallway to make sure it was his father, feeling suddenly eager when he saw the flash of red hair under the front porch light. Horatio stepped into his house and smiled slightly to see Kyle standing in the hall entrance.

"Waiting up for me, son?"

The boy gave the traditionally noncommittal shrug of all teenagers. "I couldn't sleep."

Horatio nodded and set his keys aside on the kitchen counter. They reached for each other then, an awkward hug; the embrace lasted only a moment, neither of them being particularly comfortable with the gesture yet. Horatio ran his hand over Kyle's hair, one of the few pleasant things he could remember his father doing to him when he'd been a boy. "I didn't expect you would. She's...the doctors think she'll make it through this, Kyle. She won't be the same, exactly, but it was lucky that there wasn't any permanent physical damage."

Kyle absorbed the news, wondering how changed his mother would come to be when she was released from the hospital. "How long will she be there?"

"It's too soon to say for sure, but they think it'll be several weeks. You'll stay with me, and when she's released...well, she'll need our help getting back into her life. I suppose I'll stay with you at the Winston house when she's released." Horatio said, massaging his temples slightly. He could feel a headache coming on, not surprising given the day he'd had.

The boy sighed slightly. "Do you think you'll catch the other two men before then? If they're still out there by the time she's released, our house won't be safe."

"You let us worry about that. If we don't find the other two that had a hand in this, I'll find a place where Julia can recover with our help. There are safe houses all over the city." Horatio noted the dark bruise on his son's face, evidence of his fight with the men that had intruded into his home just that morning. "Does that hurt?" He asked, pointing to it.

Kyle shrugged and pressed his fingers to the edge of the bruise, wincing slightly. "A little. I mean, I haven't thought much about it. Too much has happened today."

"I know. But tomorrow is a new day, Kyle. We'll get through this together, all three of us."

The boy smiled, a welcome sight to tired blue eyes.

* * *

The following two weeks were difficult for both father and son. They had to adjust themselves into new lives with each other, all while under the stress of Julia's recovery. She had not been awoken yet, however the doctors promised her rate of recovery was remarkable. Perhaps it was best that she remained asleep for the time being as Horatio and his team came closer and closer to tracking down her attackers.

After DNA analysis had confirmed that the nail sent to Horatio was indeed Julia's, Horatio removed all doubt from his mind that she was innocent in the attack. Self-preservation was human nature; he knew she wouldn't have caused herself such pain as part of some game. Julia had been attacked, raped and beaten to the brink of death and now lay in the hospital, healing under the fog of sedatives.

Horatio stood outside Kyle's school, waiting for the afternoon bell that would release the students. It had become part of their temporary routine, a point of pride for Horatio that he was able to do things for Kyle that his own father never had for him. The bell sounded and Horatio tensed as the crowd of students rushed out the doors. He wasn't surprised at their haste, it was Friday afternoon after all.

He scanned the crowd and found Kyle standing outside with a petite black girl, both of them smiling. The girl, whoever she was, hugged Kyle and kissed his cheek. The two teens then parted ways, Kyle's face becoming redder with every step toward his father. He hadn't known they were being watched. Horatio couldn't fight his smile.

"She's pretty. You never said you had a girlfriend."

Kyle shook his head and tossed his backpack in the backseat of the Hummer. "She's not my girlfriend."

"But you'd like her to be." Horatio said, hoping to gain more from the conversation. He'd been hoping to have a talk about girls with his son, it was just one more thing that he'd missed out on in the years they'd spent apart.

Shrugging, the boy shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Why's that?"

"She's from a really rich family, anyway I think we're too different." Kyle said.

"In what ways?" Horatio asked.

Huffing, irritated now, Kyle decided to explain. "Well, to start, Kiera doesn't have a prison record. Her mother wasn't a con-artist, her father isn't a marked cop and she's never been asked to leave the country for her own protection, okay? She's nice and normal. If I went out with her, how long do you think it'd be before she was in a hospital room right across from mom?"

Surprised, Horatio moved the Hummer off to the side of the road. Kyle groaned. "Oh, come on, dad, let's just go-"

"Kyle, look at me." Horatio implored.

"What?"

"Listen to me. I know how difficult this must be for you-"

"Oh, how would you know? I can't even have a girlfriend because that would just be too normal! I can't-"

"You can, Kyle, you can have anything you want. I can't promise that your life will get easier, but I can promise I'll always be here to help you through your problems. It's more than what my father ever did for me or my brother. Our family isn't perfect or normal, I know, but we're the only family we have, and we need each other now. Kyle, please, just talk to me if you have a problem."

Kyle sulked, embarrassed to have had an outburst at his father. He knew that Horatio wasn't to blame for all that had happened to him throughout his life, but when his frustration built he had a tendency to lash out. In this case, Horatio had become the target. "I know, dad. I'm sorry. It's just...things were going well for a while, and now it's all upside down again."

Horatio sighed. "I know. This wasn't what I wanted for you, but sometimes there's no choice in life but to play the hand you're dealt. We'll deal with who did this to your mother, and we have to work together to make sure she gets through this."

Traffic passed by, breaking the silence as the two thought over each other's words.

"And then what?" The boy asked.

"Hmm?"

"After mom gets out of the hospital and recovers, then what's going to happen? You go back to being a visitor I see twice a month for a few hours at a time?"

Horatio shook his head. "No, I won't. This has changed things. I've been thinking things over and I know I haven't been there for you the way a father should, and I am sorry for that. I'll talk things over with Julia, maybe change our custody agreement. I'm not sure how-"

Horatio was interrupted by the jarring ring of his cell phone. He looked at Kyle apologetically, but the boy understood- the man was still Lieutenant of the crime lab, and there were many obligations to go with that title. Horatio opened the phone. "This is Caine."

Kyle idly listened to his father's side of the conversation.

"She did? When? All right, we're on our way." Horatio snapped the phone shut and threw on his siren. "Kyle, your mother is awake."

The Hummer sped through traffic toward the hospital, neither of them daring to hope for too much upon arrival.

* * *

Kyle plowed through the doors of the hospital and ran to his mother's room before Horatio had even parked the Hummer. He paused just outside the doorway into the room to catch his breath and braced himself to see her again. He wasn't afraid, exactly, but to see her awake and surely in pain would be difficult- in a strange way he wished that she could have simply slept through the entire healing process and then woken up as good as new, but he knew that would have been impossible.

Collecting himself, Kyle opened the door to her room, surprised to see a nurse standing before his mother, who was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, her naked back facing him. Kyle knew he would never forget that sight. Julia's back was a tapestry of dark bruises; some a mottled reddish brown, some purple, some nearly black.

The nurse looked up. "Excuse me, you can't be in the room during an examination-"

"She's my mother." Kyle said weakly, feeling faint as he watched his mother painfully pull her hospital gown over shoulders to cover herself before she turned to look at him.

Her face looked much better than it had the first day he'd seen her. She was still bruised and cut, but thankfully the swelling around her eyes had gone down, the large cut across her cheek had been stitched. A faint scar might remain, but to Kyle's eyes she looked beautiful, even more beautiful than before because he knew she was stronger for having survived such an ordeal.

Julia's eyes met his and her lips lifted in a small smile. "Please, let him in. He's my son."

The nurse stepped to the side, allowing Kyle into the room. He carefully moved toward her, the stress and relief fighting its way to he surface. The strong front that the boy had erected before his father began to crumble as he came closer to her. Finally, he was before her, and couldn't stop himself from dissolving into tears. Julia lifted her good hand to touch his face, bringing him in to her.

Horatio stood watching in the doorway of the room, a spectre clad in black. Julia hugged their son in close, ignoring her pain, embracing it as the proof that she was alive, that the men had not stolen this away from her. She stroked Kyle's hair with her good hand, pressing her lips to the top of his head.

The man watched the reunion of mother and son, feeling a familiar warmth spread through his chest at seeing the happiness in their eyes. Family. What he'd longed for for years, never thinking he'd be given the opportunity to be part of such a thing.

Julia looked up from Kyle to Horatio, her eyes shining with new tears, conveying a new, profound strength and something he'd never seen before.

Her lips curled slightly, forming two silent words. "Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

In the weeks following her recovery in the hospital, Horatio had convinced Julia to allow him to move her to a safe place upon her release. His team had discovered the identity of one of the remaining two men responsible for her capture and injuries- a Darren Peters; if Julia knew the fourth man, the one with the scarred face, she was keeping silent. She claimed not to remember, but Horatio wasn't yet sure if he believed her.

In any case, the two remaining men were still out in the world, which meant that the Winston house was dangerous. It wasn't easy, but Horatio had arranged for Julia to be given free reign over a department safe house near the water so that if need be, the coast guard could run a patrol through the surrounding area.

"This house is wired, Horatio. If there's so much as a groundhog on the property, we'll know about it." Frank asserted as they finished their round, assuring that the safe house was indeed, a safe and secure location.

"Thank you Frank." Horatio returned. He was immensely grateful for his friend's help with the situation. With the remaining two men still at large, Frank could understand his friend's apprehension at allowing Julia and Kyle out of his sight. Any man worth a damn would have done the same thing.

"No problem. You were lucky to be granted this house, usually it's used to house hostile witnesses in federal crime cases. It's wired to make sure they don't disappear before the time comes to testify." Frank rattled off easily. "Julia's not going anywhere until we catch the guys that started this."

Horatio slipped on his sunglasses in the glaring Miami sun. "They might have started it Frank, but we'll finish it."

* * *

Once Horatio arrived at the hospital, Julia was receiving her final exam before being released. Eric had followed him there as a backup in case anything happened to them along the way back to the safe house. He followed the older man into the building, slightly anxious about the entire situation. "Something's on your mind, Eric." Horatio stated as they stepped into the hospital lobby.

Eric smiled slightly, but remained serious. "Yeah, H. It's something we found at the lab."

"Pertaining to this case?"

He nodded. "It does, but it can wait. We found the identity of the fourth man and we're already looking for him now."

"You're sure? Anyone we know?" Horatio urged.

"Yeah, but I'll let you settle in with them at the safe house for now and call you if we gain a location." Eric said, still feeling tense. He knew how heavily this case had weighed on H's mind, and he didn't want to burden the man further when his time could better be spent helping his family adjust to what would be their new home for the time being.

Horatio nodded, a slight feeling of dread blooming in his chest. "All right Eric, I'll give you a call later tonight for the update."

* * *

Kyle and Horatio assisted Julia into and out of the Hummer, taking great care not to touch her where she was bruised and still healing. Kyle offered himself for support, and Julia looped her uncast arm through his as he lead her into the temporary house by the sea.

Truly, the house was beautiful. Smaller than the Winston house she's shared with Kyle, but no less elegant or obvious in its wealth. The front foyer boasted marble floors and sandstone pillars, leading into a sunken living-room and then leading out to the private back harbor. An ornate spiral staircase led up to the three bedrooms where Kyle, Julia and Horatio would sleep.

Kyle raised his brows. "Wow, dad. This isn't what I pictured when you said we'd be going to a safe house. I guess I pictured some shack out in the glades."

Horatio nodded and set their bags down by the bottom of the stairs. He smiled slightly. "I know. Sometimes it's best to hide in plain sight. The house is monitored, we'll be safe here."

Julia had been very quiet since waking up in the hospital, and simply stood, allowing her eyes to wander the space.

"Mom, do you want to sit down for awhile?"

She blinked at the question. "Yes, will you sit outside with me?"

Kyle nodded. "Sure, right through here," he said, guiding her path.

Horatio watched as Kyle led her outside, grateful that the boy was so tender with her. There was an unspoken agreement between them that Julia would get the best from both of them during her recovery, no matter what. Julia was making strides in her physical recovery, but Horatio was no fool. He knew the most lasting damage had been done to her mind. Raped, beaten and nearly killed in a matter of hours...he had no idea what she was going through.

All Horatio and Kyle could hope to do right now was to make her as comfortable as they could while her body healed itself.

He watched as Julia eased herself into one of the cushioned chairs outside, and Kyle sat in a chair nearby to keep her company. Another unspoken between Horatio and his son: they did not want Julia alone for too long, there was no telling what she might do to herself after such a traumatic attack.

Wanting to do something productive, Horatio carried their bags upstairs, peeking into each of the three rooms at the top of the landing. One was on the smaller side, obviously meant as a guest room. Horatio put Kyle's bag on the day bed, then moved on to see the others. Electing to take the middle room in the center, Horatio tossed his own bag onto the plain bed. Hardly giving another thought to surveying the rooms further, he left Julia's bag on the floor beside the door of the master bedroom.

Descending the stairs, Horatio saw that Kyle and Julia were laughing together. Even now, he felt apart from them. He wanted to be included, but he knew there were things he had to do before he could be accepted into their fold. The men that had done this were still out there and as long as they were, Julia and Kyle were in danger.

Horatio would not let either of them suffer again.

* * *

Julia looked up as Horatio came out to join them on the patio overlooking the sea. The safe house was beautiful, but Julia admitted she felt uneasy at the prospect of being under the same roof as Horatio for any amount of time. Their relationship was rocky at best, but she had been out of commission for over fifteen days- when she'd woken up she'd seen that the connection was much stronger now between Horatio and their son. Despite it all, she knew it was a good thing, and was happy to know that they had taken care of each other.

She felt that she had no right to push Horatio away now, not after what he had done for her. Julia owed her life to Horatio- he could have whatever he wanted from her now. Still...the man could be very intimidating at times.

Horatio took a seat beside Kyle, his manner easy and even gracing a small smile across his face. "Anyone feeling hungry?"

Kyle gave a noncommittal shrug. "I could eat."

Julia smiled. "What have the two of you been eating while I was gone?" She asked, trying to put her tensions at ease with light conversation.

Horatio intimidated her now, but she knew that they would be sharing the house for a time. There was no point in trying to hide from him, his blue eyes could see everything. They would have to get along for their son, and perhaps even salve the wounds that had been bleeding for over a decade. She admitted to herself that the time had come for Horatio to know the truth about their past, but she would wait for the right moment to explain herself.

Horatio raised a brow. "I haven't been starving him, if that's what you mean."

Kyle laughed. "We've been eating, mom. Sometimes he even lets me call it in."

Allowing herself to laugh, slightly nervous, Julia turned her eyes to Horatio. "Bachelor food? Pizza and Chinese-"

"One night we made sandwiches." Kyle put in, laughing.

She shook her head, making a sudden decision. There was nothing she hated more than keeping still and inactive; in Julia there was a deep need to feel productive, to prove she was worth a damn. "I'll make dinner tonight." She declared.

Horatio paused. "Do you feel well enough to-"

"I'm fine," Julia cut in, not allowing Horatio to call more attention to her injuries. She wanted to heal, to forget. "I'm making dinner tonight." Abruptly, she stood up from her chair and moved into the house.

The woman was too proud to show the pain that the sudden movement caused her.

* * *

The man took a seat at the bar counter as his son moved into the kitchen to set out pots, pans and ingredients for his mother. There was a rhythm to their movements, they had obviously done this many times before.

Under Horatio's watchful eyes, Julia moved about the kitchen, making what promised to be a fine meal. He had to admit to himself that he'd never known her as well as he'd thought, though one thing he did know was that Julia had a gift when it came to food. It was a very domestic scene, to see Julia and their son preparing a meal; the act was nearly alien to him, which made him realize how much he'd missed in the past year.

Kyle was there, helping her lift things and performing the tasks that she could not do with her arm in the thin cast. Horatio understood her need to prove herself as still useful, still strong, but he worried that she might overtax her system with too much movement. The last thing he wanted was for her to be further hurt in trying to please them.

The doctors had advised her to take things easy, one day at a time, but that was not the way Julia operated. She was bruised, yes, battered and healing, but she would not remain an invalid. She was still the most vivacious woman that Horatio had ever been involved with, though he did have to wonder if it had all been an act, if she'd been playing him all those years ago- for what, he had no idea, but now that they were all living together, Horatio felt determined to get the truth from her.

* * *

A half an hour later, as Kyle and Julia ate in the house dining room, Horatio stepped outside and made his call to the lab for the update. Eric picked up on the first ring to his cell and wasted no time in providing him the identity of the fourth man involved in the attack on his family. DNA taken from Julia's rape kit revealed the man as already in their system for multiple crimes.

Horatio took a long moment to absorb the news, genuinely stricken at the truth. Julia had lied, she knew the man that had done this, and so did he. He closed his eyes, willing away the sudden upswell of anger at her for lying to him and their son. Horatio took a breath. "All right, Eric. Thank you. Do we have a location yet?"

On the other end of the line, Eric shook his head. "No, H, no location and no leads yet but we have uniforms out there knocking on some doors and pounding the pavement of all his old hangouts. We'll find him if he's out there."

Horatio sighed. No location and no leads; the man was too smart to go back into his old habits, and too determined to be put off for much longer. The only thing Horatio could do was remain with his family, on guard and ready to protect them at all costs. "All right, Eric. Stay with this."

"You know I will. What are you going to do?"

Horatio looked back into the house. Kyle was smiling and waving him over, urging him back to the dinner table. Horatio absently waved back at the boy. His family wanted him, the family that had been nearly torn away from him far too many times. Julia met his gaze through the window, her eyes full of caution and a gentle acceptance.

"I'm going to stay with them."


	9. Chapter 9

True to their word, Horatio stayed with his family while Eric assisted in directing the uniformed officers' search for the remaining men responsible for the attack on Julia. So far there had been no breakthrough to celebrate. The DNA collected from the stolen Hummer used in the kidnapping and Julia's rape kit had only taken them to the mens' identities, their whereabouts were now anyone's guess.

The only thing to do was wait until the suspects surfaced by attacking again or, hopefully, making a mistake that would lead the Miami-Dade police department right to their door. Understandably, Horatio would greatly prefer the latter.

Until the case changed, Horatio found he was content to stay on with Kyle and Julia in the safe house. Their routine had grown familiar and pleasant. Horatio and Kyle would wake early, father and son could bond over breakfast and the drive to school. Horatio would then check in at the lab to assist with the new cases that had come before them, and then retrieve Kyle in the late afternoons. The pair would return to the safe house and rejoin Julia, who had typically come to spend her days performing healing exercises in an effort to speed her recovery.

Despite all that had happened between them, Horatio felt that he and Julia were still at odds. They had spent as little time together as possible, taking great care to stay out of each other's way. In dealing with women who had suffered as she had, Horatio knew that her aversion to being near a man while she healed was natural, but if they did not speak, how could he learn the truth from her? How could they reconnect?

As for Kyle, Horatio sensed that his son was becoming impatient; the intense love he had for his mother demanded vengeance against the men that had hurt her. Horatio understood this but his hands were tied until the suspects surfaced on their own.

As per their routine, the family had sat down for a later dinner, a simple affair for a Thursday night. They'd spoken of simple things, usually keeping the discussion to current events and Kyle. Horatio suspected the boy could sense a slight tension in the air, formed from his own impatience with Julia's lies.

He would confront her that night. He only had to wait for the right opportunity.

Kyle stood from the table, taking his plate to the kitchen sink. "I have some work to catch up on," he said. "I've been, um, distracted in history class the past few days. But I'll just finish up the rest of it tonight."

Perhaps it was a simple coincidence or maybe Kyle had retreated upstairs to catch up on his homework as a way to allow his father to speak to Julia, but either way Horatio had urged the boy to finish his work, eager for the chance to have Julia to himself.

"Distracted by Kiera?" Horatio had asked him, ruffling the boy's hair. "Go on, son, finish your work."

Mindful, Kyle had disappeared while Horatio cleared away the dishes. Julia had gone out to the expansive back patio, even striking flames into the house fire pit. He could see her outside beside the rising flames. The sight warmed him at the same time it strengthened his resolve.

Finishing up in the kitchen, Horatio glanced outside to see Julia was now sitting close to the fire, warming herself. Her eyes swept up to meet his through the glass. Her lips curved in the slightest of smiles, inviting him to approach her.

Horatio glanced away, hesitating. Despite that they'd shared the house for nearly a month at this point, somehow Horatio and Julia had spent very little time alone together. They hadn't spoken of her attack, she had confided nothing in him and he had not confronted her with what he already knew about the case.

If she was inviting him out to her now...

Steeling himself, Horatio took a bottle of wine and two glasses out to the patio. She was there, her body curled in an almost serpentine manner as she perched on the wide ledge of the house fire pit, wearing a long-sleeved tunic and jeans, both to protect her from the ocean's chilly breeze and, Horatio suspected, to keep her still-healing body under wraps. He could understand her unwillingness to show herself; Julia was a beautiful woman, one who had used her looks and body to her greatest advantage. Simply, her beauty had been her greatest strength; that beauty had been damaged in the attack, breaking her self-confidence along with it.

There was no one alive who gloried in exposing their weaknesses. Julia would rather cover herself than allow Horatio to witness for himself the progress of her healing. Somehow, he'd hoped she would share more with him, but he had to remind himself that there were some things concerning this woman that he was not entitled to know. She was no longer his.

He cleared his throat. "Julia?"

She turned her tiger eyes to him. "Is that the red?" She asked upon seeing the bottle.

Horatio nodded, stepping closer. "It is."

"I'm glad you brought it out. I was just thinking I could use a drink."

Horatio tipped his mouth in a half-smile. Obliging, he came to stand before her and opened the bottle, then began to pour her a glass. "Oh? And why might that be?"

She took the glass from him, feeling a slight shiver at his voice and the slide of his fingers against hers as the glass changed hands. "To celebrate. My cast came off yesterday, my arm feels fine. I'm happy to be alive, I'm thankful to be with you and Kyle." She explained simply, flexing her arm.

Truly, her speed of recovery was remarkable after what she'd been through. Unbeknownst to Horatio, traces of bruising remained all over her body, and though Julia wasn't comfortable enough yet to expose more of herself, she had to admit that she felt stronger and was truly grateful to be alive; there were times when it took a brush with death to make one hold a better appreciation for life.

Horatio nodded, understanding, and took a seat beside her next to the fire pit. The flames danced before her, highlighting her in gilded bronze. Her eyes were strikingly golden, watching him, baiting him to say what she knew had been on his mind for weeks.

"I'm glad to hear that. You've been healing wonderfully, you're right back to being the old Julia again."

"What do you mean?"

Horatio took a breath, knowing there was no easy way to get through this conversation. His eyes met hers through the flames. "I think you know exactly what I mean. You know who was behind your attack and now so do I."

The color drained from Julia's face, leaving her pale. "Stop."

"Why didn't you tell me in the beginning? Why lie, saying you didn't remember?"

"Horatio, stop, please-"

"Julia, tell me the truth. For once in your life, don't lie to me." Horatio urged, his voice level and earnest. He came closer, his hands reached for hers, grasping them gently.

The woman's lips trembled, real fear coming into her gaze. "I- I can't. Horatio, please dont-"

"Tell me about Ron Saris, Julia." He demanded now, ignoring the tears slipping down her face at the mention of the man's name. "Tell me what I already know, Julia, tell me what happened that day-"

"Horatio, stop!" Julia shouted, surprising them both with the outburst. The truth of her attack was too much to face before this man. "You're going to sit there and tell me to stop lying? When have you ever told me the truth? You've been lying to me from the day we first met- I never even knew your real name until last year!"

Frustrated, Horatio speared his fingers through his hair. "I've told you already- I had no choice, I was undercover!"

Julia glared. "_You_ had no choice? No, a man like you will always have choices in life, Horatio. The scared girl I was when we met had no choice- nowhere to live, no one to turn to. You were the one man I thought I could trust, what did you think would happen to us when your work was done?" She demanded, revealing more emotion to him than she ever had before. The dam had burst, letting all her pent-up betrayal and anger flow free, punishing the man that had held a place in her heart for so long.

"I was going to tell you the truth, Julia. When my part in it was over, I was going to explain everything." Horatio insisted, his gaze intent.

"And then what? You would have told me, _'John isn't my name. It was all a lie and now I'm leaving.'_ How noble of you, Horatio." Julia hissed, the old anger radiating from her frame.

Horatio stood then, and grasped her shoulders. "I would have told you everything. I would have supported you, taken care of you and our son. What could I have done after you disappeared?"

Julia struggled in his grasp, trying to twist herself out of his strong hands, but Horatio would not let her go. Her fiery eyes met his, blazing with anger. "I guess we'll never know now, will we?"

Relenting, Horatio let go of her, ashamed to have lost control of himself by grabbing her. He'd never been rough with a woman and he couldn't start now, and not with her, never with her. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly. "No, we won't."

Julia stood before him, her arms now limp at her sides. Horatio couldn't meet her eyes; he looked away, dismissing her.

Angry and hurt like never before, Julia stalked back into the house, retreating into her bedroom to be away from Horatio, away from all the hellish memories he brought with him.

* * *

Hours later, Horatio stared up at the dark ceiling of his bedroom. His mind was chasing everything Julia had told him; he could understand her anger about the necessary lies he'd told her during his time undercover, but what more could be done now?

She still hadn't explained anything of herself, from why she'd run from him all those years ago to why she'd lied about knowing it was Ron Saris who'd attacked her. And Ron Saris. Horatio knew the man must be insane to have attacked his family after nearly being killed by Horatio's magic bullet the year before- apparently the man had survived to carry horrible scars and a deep grudge.

Well. Horatio was determined to be sure the man died the next time they faced off. No mistakes. No room for the possibility that his family could be hurt again.

There was movement in the hallway, just outside his door.

Horatio looked over at the sound of the doorknob to his room clicking as it was turned. He'd expected Kyle, wanting to talk, but the silhouette revealing itself in the doorway was entirely too feminine. Too alluring, too inviting. Julia stood, outlined in the subtle light coming in from his window, her body swathed by a satin robe belted over the typical black chemise she wore to bed.

The man swallowed, not knowing what to expect from her visit, and not daring to hope for anything more.

Julia's eyes held Horatio's, waiting to be invited into his bed. Wary, Horatio nodded and moved to one side, creating space for her. Slowly, Julia padded across the room and slipped beneath the covers.

All at once, the world melted away and she was the beautiful, scared nineteen year old girl he'd met all those years ago. Immediately his arms twined around her, holding her against him, reacquainting himself with her shape. Julia's face buried itself into the crook of his neck, her breath hot and sweet on his skin.

They held on to each other for several minutes, offering comfort, warmth and apology. Julia pulled back to look into his face. "It was Ron, it's always been Ron, right from the start, Horatio."

"What do you mean? Tell me, Julia, please."

"He...he terrorized my family before we even met. I was trying to get away from him when you and I found each other. He had his men watching me. It was a few days after I found out I was pregnant, he came to my room at the motel and told me he'd kill you if you touched me again."

Horatio tightened his hold on her as she became more upset at the memories. "What happened?" He asked.

"I told him I wouldn't see you again. He...he made me sleep with him to prove that you meant nothing to me. I took off while he was in the shower, I slipped past his men and just ran, but I knew I couldn't run forever. The baby was growing and...I was just so afraid."

Horatio felt a deep, burning anger begin to surge through his chest. _Ron Saris_. That man was the reason Julia had hidden his son from him. The reason Kyle hadn't known his parents, the reason the three of them had been cheated out of a family for over a decade.

"So you left Kyle with your mother."

"Yes. I left him, I left him. He was only a year old. I was going to go back, but Ron was always a step behind me, always there to step in and force me into a con. I couldn't work, I couldn't go to school- he had stolen my life. I tried to become these other women but he was always able to find me, to manipulate me into stealing money from the men he'd targeted. I don't know how it became so out of control, Horatio."

There was nothing Horatio could say that would comfort her. "What happened after he took you from the house?"

Julia shut her eyes against the onslaught of painful memories. Of being dragged from the Hummer, thrown onto the concrete floor of the warehouse, of being raped, first by Ron, then by the other men, of being beaten into unconsciousness and nearly to death. That was a hell she would never visit again, no matter what it took.

Julia had been beaten but not broken. Deep within, there was a core of strength that she had tapped into in order to survive the world that Ron had forced on her. Being brought to the brink of death will change a woman, and deep within, Julia knew she was changed- she wanted a simple life to be spent in peace with Kyle and Horatio...but that other part of her, the part brought to life by the brutal punishment of Ron Saris, it had only one driving desire: revenge.

Horatio held her close to him, his hand stroking down her back, doing his best to comfort her though he knew it was no use. What could he do to help after he'd just forced her to relive the attack?

Julia only curled in closer to him, unable to answer his question. She could give him nothing more.


	10. Chapter 10

In the morning, Horatio awoke alone in his bed. The only evidence that Julia had been with him were the tearstains on the pillow she'd used and the subtle scent left in the air of his room. He swung his feet to the floor and checked his watch. It was a little later than usual, but there was still enough time for him to dress and then take Kyle to school.

Horatio frowned and stood, thinking over all that Julia had told him in the night when he'd held her. The story she'd told rang of truth, the deep fear and shame she'd carried for so many years...he could understand her better now but the way to reuniting their family was not clear. Horatio still wasn't sure if he could trust the woman, and he doubted that she would want a closer relationship with him- she was still hurt that he'd lied to her while undercover.

_Well. Not all of it was a lie_, he reasoned to himself as he readied for the day. _Only the name I'd used, the minor details. What we shared had been real. At least, I thought it was..._

Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, Horatio slipped the knot of his tie and moved down the stairs to find Kyle. The boy was already in the living room, shoving a binder into his backpack. "Morning son, are you ready?"

Kyle glanced up and smiled. "Yeah. Late start today."

Horatio shrugged. He didn't know what to make of what had happened with Julia the night before, so he saw no reason to give Kyle a hint at her visit to his bedroom. "I just didn't hear my alarm. Slept in. Let's get going." Horatio urged.

Kyle nodded and followed him out to the car in the driveway.

* * *

"I heard you guys last night." Kyle said abruptly as Horatio braked for a red light.

He raised his brows and turned to the boy, caught off-guard. "You did? When?"

The boy shrugged and kept his eyes on the road ahead. It had been an effort for him to bring up the subject at all, let alone look his father in the eye while they talked about it. "In the backyard, when I was doing my homework. I heard mom yelling. Then later, I heard her talking in your room."

Horatio cleared his throat, wondering how to go about this conversation. Kyle obviously wasn't a child anymore, but he didn't know how to explain the situation to the boy. Hell, Horatio could barely understand it himself. Silently, Horatio parked in front of Kyle's school. Together, they watched as dozens of other students milled about in front of the building, laughing with friends, comparing their homework before classes began for the day.

"Kyle, your mother and I- we have a complicated past, and in talking about that past, things got a little heated in the backyard. Julia came to talk to me last night, but nothing happened. I wouldn't pressure her that way. I don't know what you heard, but-"

"I couldn't hear much with a wall between us, but I heard her talking about Ron. Is that who did this, dad?"

Horatio nodded. "Yes. Yes, it was him."

Kyle felt a hard knot form in his stomach. "The man with the scars on his face. That was Ron. He's alive."

"Yes. The police are looking for him, but he's been laying low for weeks. We don't know where he is yet."

Kyle seemed genuinely upset at the news, at knowing the identity of the man that had attacked him and nearly killed his mother. He took a shuddering breath. "Dad?"

"Yeah son?"

Kyle grabbed his backpack and got out of the car. Two sets of bright blue eyes met each other through the heated Miami air. "When you find Ron, make sure you kill him this time, because if you don't, I will."

The boy slammed the car door and was in the school building before Horatio found the voice to stop him. Staring after his son, Horatio slipped on his sunglasses. "I'll get him, Kyle. This time, I'll get him."

* * *

After checking in with the lab and finding no new leads for the case, Horatio moved on to other assignments. It was frustrating, but he could not allow Julia's case to distract him from new cases. There were numerous murders in Miami, all of them leaving evidence. Horatio had faith that his team would be able to track Saris and the other man involved in the attack, but as they had so little to go on, there was no choice but to move on to the more immediate cases while the evidence was still fresh.

"It's been nearly two months and we don't have anything?" Horatio demanded. It wasn't that he was angry with Eric or Calleigh, he was only venting a touch of frustration at the lack of credible leads.

Calleigh shook her head. "I'm sorry, Horatio. Saris and Peters haven't made a ripple since the day of the abduction. None of our informants or UCs have been able to turn up anything on either man."

Eric nodded. "The other man, Darren Peters, we're still not even sure how he connects to this case. The only crimes on his file were misdemeanors and he showed no past associations with Saris. I think we're looking at a forced accomplice here, but without a testimony it's only a theory."

Horatio tiredly glanced at his watch. "Listen, check out everything you can on Peters, all right? I have to get Kyle."

Eric nodded and Calleigh moved to walk Horatio out to his car. "Horatio, listen, I know you're determined to get Saris-"

"You have no idea, Calleigh. You didn't see what he did to her." Horatio returned evenly.

Calleigh moved in front of him, ceasing his stride. "Yes I did, Horatio. We all did, the crime scene photos, the victim report. We know what this means to you."

"Do you? Did you know that Saris has been terrorizing Julia for over a decade?"

Calleigh's pretty face frowned slightly. "He has? I thought their association was only in the past few years."

"No. He's been stalking her, hunting her, for years. She told me about it last night. Saris is the reason I never knew about Kyle. She left him because she was terrified he'd kill them both." Horatio ground out. "I have to find him before Julia disappears again."

* * *

The ride back to the safe house from Kyle's school was quieter than usual. Kyle was obviously still trying to process the fact that a man he thought was dead had come back, determined to kill his mother. Horatio could understand; nothing was as it seemed. Just the night before he'd thought that Julia had taken their son as a way to hurt him- the thought that she'd only been a girl, terrified by a violent criminal, had never once occurred to him.

He wanted to know more, but he had to wait until Julia was ready to tell him the rest of her story. It was hers to tell, not his to demand.

He paused in the driveway and stopped Kyle from getting out of the car. "Kyle, don't tell your mother what you know, all right?"

He frowned. "Why? I want to ask her-"

"Son, listen to me. She doesn't know that you heard us last night. It may be difficult for her to talk about this. Please, don't bring it up."

"Why? So you can talk to her?" The boy asked.

Horatio cocked his head to the side. "She told me things about her past last night, I need her to tell me more. I need you to give us a little space tonight, son. Please. What she tells me may help in catching Saris."

Kyle sighed. "You want me out of the house? Well, what I am supposed to do while you're talking to her?"

Horatio blinked, thinking, but then an idea came to him. "Why not call that girlfriend of yours?"

"Kiera's not my- call her? Why?"

Horatio laughed a little and reached into his pocket for his wallet. He took out a few $20 bills and handed the money to Kyle. "Here. I'll let you use the department sedan. Call her, take her to dinner- no fast food, take her somewhere nice. Pull out her chair, open every door for her. After dinner, take her to a movie. Get her candy, a soda. You do that, Kyle, and I'll try to get your mother to talk."

The boy sighed slightly, considering. "You really think mom knows where he is?"

"I'm not sure, but she may remember something, some little detail that would help us in the investigation."

Kyle took a deep breath, thinking over his father's offer. He didn't want to leave his mother; there still remained a great deal of guilt that he hadn't been able to protect her during the morning of the attack, but if Horatio was right, and in speaking to Julia, alone, there could be a clue...

The boy relented. "All right. I'll call Kiera and see if she wants to hang out."

Horatio nodded, smiling slightly. "That's a good boy. Go on, give her a call. I'll let your mother know you'll be out for the night."

* * *

Julia had been napping when Horatio went looking for her upstairs. He saw her, lying on her side over the covers of her bed, a book by her hand. He nearly left her room, but the sight of her compelled him to go closer, to take in the sight of her in such a vulnerable state. His eyes drank in the soft curves of her body, the gentle contours of her relaxed face. She'd fallen asleep reading her novel, wearing only a camisole and a pair of shorts. The scant outfit exposed her to his assessing eyes.

A spear of pain arced through Horatio at the sight of her bruises; the mottled spots were still there, heavy and dark against her skin.

He swallowed his anger at Ron Saris and backed out of her bedroom, closing the door behind him. Yes, he would speak with her that night.

"Kiera wants to see me."

Horatio turned to see Kyle step out of his bedroom. He smiled, happy for his son. "That's great. Go ahead, get cleaned up and I'll arrange the detail."

Kyle frowned. "The detail? Dad, come on, don't make a cop follow us! How can I have a date with someone shadowing us?"

"Kyle, I'll have a plain-clothes officer follow you just to make sure things don't get out of hand. Trust me, you won't even know he's there."

The boy rolled his eyes as he went back into his room, readying himself for his first date.

* * *

One hour later and Horatio had confirmed with the UC officer that Kyle had picked up his date and the two were on their way to dinner at a seaside cafe. Horatio smiled to himself; it was far from an ideal start, but the relationship with his son was heading in the right direction. He glanced outside. The Miami sky was changing, from the brightest of orange and blue to the calmer pinks and purples of sunset. Horatio shrugged out of his suit jacket and set it aside.

He stretched slightly, feeling tension leave his shoulders. The case was on his mind, always, but Horatio didn't want to think about Ron Saris. He didn't want to recall Julia on the floor of that warehouse, covered in blood and nearly unrecognizable for her wounds. He longed to think of something pleasant. Something warm and familiar. Unable to stop the flow of memory, Horatio's mind turned to the night before, to how it had felt to have Julia beside him in bed.

Nothing physical had happened between them, not so much as a kiss; but she'd been beside him, her body long and lean, radiating life and recovering strength. There had been women before Julia and there had been women after her, but he still remembered their time together- the feel of her body against his, her scent, her sighs...

"John?"

Horatio turned around to see Julia standing at the bottom of the stairs, back to wearing her jeans and long top to cover her body from him. He raised a brow at her. "John was a long time ago, Julia."

The woman blinked, then smiled, chagrined. "I'm sorry. I knew that, I just forgot for a second. Where's Kyle?"

He smiled with a touch of fatherly pride. "Our son is out on a date with a girl he knows from school, Julia. Don't worry, I sent a UC to tail them tonight." He added hastily at the look of concern on her face.

"Kyle has a date? Who is it?"

"Kiera Johnston, a girl he knows from history class. I think it's a safe bet that she's the reason he's fallen behind on his school work." Horatio reasoned.

She stared at him for a long moment. "So it's just us here?"

"Unless you're expecting a guest, then yes."

Julia blinked, looking away; there was no trace of playfulness in her expression. "After last night, do you think it's such a good idea?"

He shifted his weight slightly. "If you want to answer some of my questions, yes. If not, that's all right too. We can talk about other things. It's all up to you."

* * *

"You're not going to let me leave until I tell you everything, are you?"

The man shook his head. "Julia. I'm not holding you captive, I'm giving you the option to come clean with me now. I've waited years. If you don't tell me, I'll just go digging into your past myself, but I think it would be easier on us both if you just told me. Any detail you remember may be helpful in our search for Saris."

Horatio had effectively dismissed Julia's only means of distancing herself from him by sending Kyle out for the night. The man was nothing if not determined. Julia sat down on one of the low sofas in the living room, having relented to his determination for the truth. She took a breath. "If we're going to do this, I'd like a drink." She'd told him.

He nodded and turned toward the kitchen. "I'm sure you would. What will you have?"

"Is there more wine?"

"Yes." Horatio called over his shoulder. He surveyed the bottles available. "Red or white?"

Julia felt her nerves tighten; this was a discussion that had been put off for far too long, she'd dreaded being alone with him for exactly this reason. She'd cared for him once, loved him, but had spent so long running that she wasn't sure if she could stop. With Ron alive, ready to kill, she felt just as trapped as she'd been when she and Horatio had first met.

"Red, please."

Horatio poured two glasses and came forward, sitting across from her. The wine remained, untouched on the round coffee table between them. "So, would you like to start?"

Julia sighed, closing her eyes for a long moment. "I don't want to start. Do you think this has been easy for me? That I _wanted_ to leave Kyle to move all over the country with Ron always a step behind me?" She asked.

Horatio leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "I don't think you've enjoyed any of this, Julia. But there are things I want to know, things I deserve to know."

She took another deep breath, knowing all along that it would come to this, the warring of wills between she and Horatio. Horatio Caine, not John Walden. There were things he deserved to know, but he was asking for the details of her life that she hadn't shared with anyone. Wasn't she entitled to know some things about him?

He would answer some questions tonight as well.

Julia cleared her throat. Hers was a story that had never been told, but she was tired of hiding the truth, exhausted with the lying. She, Kyle and Horatio had spent the past year more or less in peace; that Ron was still alive threatened her entire world. She looked across the table, into Horatio's eyes, and nodded once.

"All right. You win, Horatio." The woman took a deep breath, and began to tell her story. "I was seventeen when I first met Ron. He was doing business with my father, and he became a sort of friend of the family, he was over the house all the time. To this day I'm not sure of the details, but I came to understand that something my father did caused their deal to go sour. I didn't know about that until later. I had just graduated high school and started a nursing internship with the military...my first boyfriend Jason was a few years older than me, and he had joined the navy. I wanted to be close to him, so I went into the nursing program."

She stopped to lift the wineglass to her lips. Reliving the memories was proving to be more difficult than she'd thought. It was one thing to live the story, and quite another to be forced to lay her life bare before a man. Especially this man. Horatio only nodded, urging her on.

"When Ron found me, I was on my way over to my boyfriend's apartment. He coaxed me into joining him for lunch, and I got into his car. He didn't drive us to a restaurant, but back to his place. When we got there, he explained that my father had ruined a deal, that I would work off the loss, and then he..." Julia trailed off, lost in her memories for a moment. She turned her eyes back to him. "I was so scared, Horatio. Too afraid to tell the police, too afraid to report back to the naval office. I knew he would follow me if I ran, so I left. I thought if he followed me, at least he wouldn't be able to hurt my boyfriend or my mother."

"You ran to protect them."

Julia nodded, spearing frustrated fingers through her hair. "Yes. After a few weeks, I landed in Pensacola, and I started to think that Ron might have just given up looking for me. I started to think it was safe. Then I met you. John Walden." Her eyes met his steadily, seeming to see him for the first time all over again. "And you were so different. I'd only been with Jason, and he was just two years older than me. Still a boy. But you were a man, you were so different...so safe, and gentle. I thought you-"

Horatio watched as she stopped herself there, both to clear her throat and to swipe at the few tears that had escaped her eyes. He hated forcing her to relive these memories, but he had to know if she was being honest, if he could trust her.

Still, he knew what she'd been about to say. He reached across the table and took her hand, smoothing over her fingers with his own.

"I did, Julia. I did."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating, please read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

Julia jerked her hand out from under his, recoiling from him completely, moving to stand up. Horatio watched as she took a few steps back, obviously rattled by the memories he'd asked her to confront. She cleared her throat and swiped at the tears that had slipped down her face. Horatio stood, offering his hand to her. "Julia, listen to me-"

"Horatio, I- I...Please, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm just- I'm going to go lie down." She said quickly as she backed away, retreating toward the stairs.

Horatio did not move to follow after her. He wanted Julia to have time to herself, and he felt that he could use a moment himself to absorb all that she'd told him.

_Ron Saris. I'll kill you for what you've done to her- you turned Julia into a monster and then you almost killed her for it!_

He paced, thinking.

Didn't they all deserve to be free of that man's hold? More than anyone, wasn't Julia entitled to live without always looking over her shoulder?

She did. They all did. Julia had been running mos of her life. That had to end now.

Horatio sank into a chair, trying to reconcile the two images he'd held of Julia in his mind and heart; there was the pretty, vivacious girl she'd been and then the manipulative, cold woman she had become thanks to the years of abuse she'd suffered under Ron Saris. Despite their core differences, Horatio could relate to what she'd suffered; it was the abuse under his father that had shaped him as he'd moved into manhood, but while Horatio had gone in one direction with his life, Julia had been forced to live a completely different way.

He held a deep hope that she was not too far gone.

* * *

After an hour alone, Julia heard footsteps approach her bedroom door. She'd been curled on her side over the covers, crying for the life she'd been forced to lead, crying for the woman she could have been had it not been for Ron Saris and his endless threats.

Horatio didn't bother knocking on the door, he stepped into her room quietly, his movements careful and slow. He came to stand beside her bed, looking down at her. His eyes met hers, and Horatio moved to sit down beside her on the bed. "Julia, talk to me."

She sighed and swiped at her final tears. She was tired, exhausted really, but Horatio was pressing on. "What more is there to say, Horatio? You know the truth now. I gave up Kyle because I was terrified Ron would hurt him if he stayed with me. I couldn't let him hurt our baby, so I ran. He was always able to find me, always there to force me into some con. I couldn't get away from him- he said he'd go back and kill Kyle if I didn't go along with him. "

The man nodded. "I understand that now."

She sighed heavily, admitting long-buried doubts. "I shouldn't have tried for custody after you told me you found him. I don't deserve to be here with either of you."

Horatio reached down and put his hand over hers. This time, she didn't pull away. "Don't say that. What's done is done, and you're here with us, Julia. We've been living as a family for weeks, this is what we could have had."

She laid beside him, absorbing his words, warmed by the touch of his hand over hers. "I know it is, Horatio. But I'm not sure if I can...Ron has done things to me that you can't imagine."

"I don't care about that, Julia. Who you've been with before isn't-"

"I didn't mean that." She cut in, moving off the bed, needing to put distance between them again. "I meant...it's hard to explain, Horatio, but I can't even look at a man without sizing him up and wondering how fast I can seduce him out of his money, I can't go into a store without seeing all the angles. Ron has infected every part of my life, God, he's _poisoned_ me, Horatio."

Wary of Julia's need for distance, Horatio remained in his place on her bed. "That's not true, Julia. You've been taking care of Kyle for over a year."

"Right. Don't forget how he was freed. I played a part in that- you know I did. It was Ron- I was happy to just pay her off, but Ron...after you blew up that boat, I was only able to take care of our son because I thought Ron was dead! Now that I know he's out there, alive, planning to come after me again- Horatio, I'm going back to the way I was before." Julia insisted, feeling a distant throbbing in her temples. The stress of having revealed so much to this man was taking it's toll on her mind; it was second nature to lie, to manipulate the truth.

She felt split, with one side of her mind warring against the other. More than anything, she longed to go to Horatio and repair the damage to their past, to remain living with their son, a true family. The other side of her, however, the part of her that had been tainted by Ron Saris's abuse, that part yearned to inflict as much harm and cause as much mayhem as possible.

She longed for revenge as much as she longed for love.

It was exhausting; Julia was not often confronted with her true feelings, having spent so many years hiding them for the success of a con. She couldn't make sense of her emotions, she was too afraid of them, and so she recessed her true self, reverting instead to the alluring character she'd presented to the world for years, comfortably sliding on the mask that Saris had forced her to create.

Horatio watched as a shadow passed over her eyes, and he realized then that she was once again behind the armor of her manipulative facade. He couldn't let that side take over for good, he's seen the real Julia and he wanted to see more of her. He could see her inner turmoil and rose to approach her, hoping that she would let him help her. He moved closer, gently sliding his hands down her arms until he held her hands in his once again. "Julia, let he help you to-"

Horatio's words halted the moment Julia's lips descended on his.

The kiss lasted for only a moment. She felt him respond, his lips moved against hers, a stolen moment of remembered pleasure. An instant later, Horatio had pulled back, breaking their kiss. "Julia, no, this isn't what you want."

A gulf opened between them, emptiness all consuming. Julia realized what she'd just done: offered herself without a thought. It had been an automatic course of action, almost a reflex. The instinct to seduce a man if she could not manipulate him was another skill instilled in her by Ron. It seemed to hit them both then, just how deeply Saris had infected her mind.

Horatio watched as fresh tears rose in her eyes. Jula's face crumbled before him. "Horatio, I'm sorry."

The man was moved by her open sorrow and moved to take her again, giving her the embrace she needed. He moved them back to the bed, where Julia was free to cry against him and Horatio could hold her, offering support and comfort. For so long, Julia had had no one, but Horatio was here for her now.

He held her to him, stroking her long hair as she cried, deep wracking sobs that shook her frame and pained him greatly to hear. It wasn't enough that Saris had stolen her life, he'd tainted her mind to the point where she could not separate herself from the manipulative character he'd forced her to create. She could not trust the face behind her mask, terrified that she was too far gone to redeem herself.

Horatio knew he had to prove her wrong and help her find herself; for their son, he had to.

He kissed the crown of her head. "Julia, Julia, listen to me. Kyle and I, we can help you through this. We can be a family again."

She heard his words but Julia felt full of doubt. How could Horatio help her when Ron was out there, likely just waiting for her to show herself so that he could attack again? She knew the man; he would not stop until he'd killed her. The bare truth was that Ron had to die, and Julia knew that she had to be the one to remove him from life.

If she did one brave thing in her life, it would be killing Ron Saris.

* * *

Horatio sat on the edge of the large sunken tub, waiting as the water tumbled from the faucet. He'd insisted that he draw a bath for Julia, that the water would calm her nerves. It wasn't his intent to stay, he would leave once the water level was high enough, he would leave her alone to bathe her body and clear her mind.

The man had rolled up his sleeves and tested the water temperature with his hands. It was warm enough, he thought. "Julia, it's ready." He called. Across the room, the door to the closet opened, and Julia stepped out. The robe from the night before was draped over her body, clinging in such a way that Horatio knew she was naked beneath it.

He swallowed, feeling his pulse increase as she stood before him, tempting beyond all reason.

Julia strode past him and let the robe slide off her body to pool around her feet, a ripple of white satin. Her body was still largely covered in fading bruises, but her form had not changed in the years they'd spent apart; she stood, tall and lithe. Horatio's eyes widened at the bold act, he was rendered helpless, unable but to watch as she carefully stepped down to immerse herself in the heated water. She turned, looking over her shoulder to meet his eyes. "I'd like you to stay and keep me company." She said.

Horatio took a deep breath, again wondering which Julia he was dealing with now: the temptress character or the genuinely vulnerable woman. Perhaps they were all part of the same person, but he was wary of her all the same. If she tried seducing him again, he wasn't sure he could bank on his resistance.

Trying to keep his focus objective, Horatio sat beside the tub, not daring to let his eyes waver from hers. In a strange way he was both glad for and irritated by the thick layer of soap bubbles that kept so much of her body from his view. Julia shifted in the water, moving to lay back. She closed her eyes for a moment, smiling contentedly at him. "Thank you, Horatio."

He cleared his throat. "For what?"

The water rippled slightly as she shrugged. "For everything. For saving my life, for staying here with us. I feel better now, after telling you the truth. I'm sorry. I should've told you when we found each other."

Horatio took a deep breath. "Why didn't you?"

He knew the answer, he only wanted to hear her say it.

"I didn't trust you. How could I, when I heard your name and realized you'd lied to me all those years ago? We lied to each other from the start and we're still lying to each other now." Her tiger eyes were on his, steady and direct.

Horatio frowned. "We are?"

Julia moved in the water, sliding her body closer, until her face was close to his. "You want me. I know you do."

"I do." He admitted. "But not like this. You're still recovering, and-"

"I know all your reasons, Horatio. I just wanted you to tell me the truth."

Later that night, it occurred to Horatio that Julia hadn't explained how she was lying to him.


	12. Chapter 12

Horatio paced in the living room of the house, allowing his mind to run over every known aspect of the case. The developments with Julia weighed heavily on his mind; if they could reach an agreement, if they could set aside the past and try building a life together...Horatio admitted that he could see himself placed with his family. Deep down, it was what he'd wanted since he, Kyle and Julia had found each other.

But before anything, Horatio had to deal with Ron Saris. That man had to be removed as a threat before his hope to live with Julia and Kyle as a family could be realized.

He looked up as Kyle came in through the front door. The boy was smiling faintly, "Hi dad."

"Kyle. How was it?" He asked, grateful for the reprieve from his restless thoughts on the case and Julia. He hadn't spent much time with the boy in the past few days, he was now eager to hear how the date had gone.

The boy was obviously trying to hide his smile, and failing completely. "It was...fun. It was good, we went to dinner and then a movie like you said. I think she had fun too."

Horatio nodded. "That's good, son. I'm happy for you. Thinking about calling her again?"

Kyle cleared his throat. "Yeah, I think so. Where's mom?"

"Sleeping."

The boy hesitated. "Did she say anything about Ron?"

_'Right to the chase.'_ Horatio shook his head. "She...doesn't know where he is, Kyle. All we can do is keep looking for him. We have to stay here for the time being. There may be a break in the case soon, he can't stay hidden forever."

Kyle shrugged. "I don't mind staying here, dad. I like having you both around, you know? And if you're getting along better now..."

The man nodded, understanding. "Yes. It was a little tense at first but it's more comfortable now. We could-" Horatio stopped himself at the sound of his ringing cell phone. He picked it up, his eyes widening at the number. "Kyle, this is the UC detail that shadowed you tonight. Is he going to tell me a different story than you just did?"

Kyle rolled his eyes. He had come to love his father, but the man could be a little untrusting at times. "No, dad. I told you the truth."

Horatio flipped open the phone. "This is Caine."

"Lieutenant. I did what you asked, shadowing those kids."

"Anything out of the ordinary?" Horatio asked, his eyes on the boy.

"Not with the kids, sir, no. I wasn't the only one following them."

Horatio felt his stomach dip at the officer's implications. "Meaning?"

"I was alerted to the search for the two suspects involved in the...incident regarding Julia Winston, sir. I recognized the suspect Darren Peters in the vicinity and just called it in. I'm following him, heading east on Pebble Dr. now."

"All right, officer, stay on him. I'm on my way."

Kyle watched, confused as Horatio snapped his phone closed and directed a strong stare at him. "Kyle. Go upstairs and stay with your mother. We may have a lead, I'm going to check into it now."

"A lead? What do you mean-"

"Upstairs, now." Horatio commanded. He didn't wait to hear the boy's protest, he headed out into the night.

* * *

"Suspect's vehicle is a late 90's Accura, red with Georgia plates- copy, UC in pursuit."

Horatio listened to the chatter over the police radio as he gunned his Hummer through traffic, speeding his way toward the center of Miami to assist in the pursuit and hopeful capture of the man involved in Julia's attack. If this lead from Darren Peters took him to Ron Saris, their family would be that much closer to reuniting.

He tried to ignore the excitement coursing through him, the thrill of the chase. There was so much to hope for, he was coming closer to his target, but he was all too aware of the risk as well.

After breaking from the main road and taking a shortcut, Horatio pulled up behind the scene of the UC officer making the arrest. He stepped out of the Hummer to have a better look at the suspect. The man, Darren Peters, matched his record picture and description: 26 years old, brown hair, blue eyes, a dark birthmark on his chin.

The arresting officer nodded to Horatio. "His ID matches that of our suspect, Lieutenant."

Horatio nodded and came closer to the younger man in cuffs. A sweep of fierce determination came over him, his eyes bore into the younger man's, menacing and cold. "Darren Peters. Bring him to the station, officer, thank you."

* * *

"Now, Mr. Peters, I have only one question for you. Where is Ron Saris?" Horatio asked. He'd adopted his more reserved stance in dealing with this suspect, however those who knew him best could see the storm brewing just beneath his polished veneer.

Ryan sat directly across the table from the suspect while Horatio had chosen to distance himself by standing in the corner of the room. The suspect had been relatively cooperative during his arrest, however at the mention of Saris he schooled his features into a calm mask. "I don't know a Ron Saris, officer."

Mr. Wolfe was not impressed by the act. "Look, Darren, why bother trying to lie to us? We have your DNA in a stolen Hummer, not to mention what was taken off a rape kit of the victim. We know you were involved and we know who you were involved with. Now, half of your little gang was taken out at the warehouse the morning of the kidnapping. You give us Saris and we'll try to keep your sentence down. How does just 40 years for grand theft, kidnapping, assault and attempted murder sound to you?"

Horatio kept his eyes trained on the suspect. There were times when it paid off to remain largely silent. Mr. Wolfe usually talked enough for two people, allowing him to observe the suspect for body language indicative of lying, which Darren Peters clearly was.

Peters's eyes swept up to meet Horatio's gaze for a split second before moving back to Ryan at the table. "I- I can't. He'll kill me if I talk."

"You think you'll live if you don't? We both know you don't want to take the heat on this- what does Saris have on you?"

"He's connected, man. How do you think he lived through the past year without anybody knowing? A guy like that, he's got eyes and ears everywhere and lots of friends that owe him favors-"

"Saris is just a con-artist, so how about you give me something I can work with instead of this Capone story?" Ryan cut in, obviously losing his patience. "Where is he and who's helping him?"

Horatio chose to speak out once more. "Darren, listen to me. If you don't tell me what I want to hear, I'll see that you spend the rest of your life behind bars for what you did to that woman."

To Horatio's surprise, the young suspect smiled; a crazed, desperate smile. "Saris told me you'd say something like that, Lieutenant. He told me you would take it personally. You think he doesn't know where you've stashed her and that kid? I told you- Saris has a long reach. He said it'd only be a matter of time before he would finish what he started with them. He told me to tell you that, Caine."

Horatio didn't allow his dread at what the man was saying to show in his face. "And what else did he tell you, Darren?"

The younger man closed his eyes for a long moment. "That he'd kill my wife and my daughters if I told you where he was. So, I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I can't tell you anything else. I'll take the full heat on this if it keeps them alive."

Horatio allowed himself a hollow smirk at the man. "Alive and well under Saris's watch, I'm sure. I'm gonna find him, Darren, and when I do, I'll make sure the two of you share a cell." He glanced up at the attending officer. "Take him."

* * *

Eric came out to meet Horatio as he was leaving, intent to return to his family. "H, we're putting a detail on the Peters family, we're getting a warrant to search his house and we're tearing his car apart for anything that could indicate a meeting location for Saris."

Horatio nodded. "Good work. Anything you can find, Eric."

"Where are you going?"

"He said that Saris knew the location of our safe house."

Eric frowned. "You think he was bluffing?"

"It's possible, but with Julia still recovering, I don't want to take the risk."

Eric nodded, understanding the need for a man to protect his family. "Right. What are you gonna do?"

"Move them."


	13. Chapter 13

Several more weeks passed after Darren Peters was charged and placed in prison, still silent on the whereabouts and intentions of Ron Saris. In that time, Horatio had moved them to a different safe house located on the opposite side of the city; he'd been adamant that Julia remain within the confines of the house at all times, and Kyle was obligated to alert one of Horatio's trusted UC officers to shadow him whenever he left the house.

Horatio believed that the extra security precautions would be enough to keep them safe from Ron, but Julia knew better.

Julia knew Darren Peters had reason not to speak out; she was more intimate with Ron's methods than anyone alive. Those he targeted for use in his cons always had plenty to lose- a family, a career, a reputation. He would seek these people out, exploit their weaknesses for his gain and then use the proof of their involvement as leverage in case anyone threatened to go to the police.

His specialty was extortion, blackmail, fraud and coersion. For years, Julia had gone along with his cons out of fear that he would hurt her mother and her son; on learning of the death of her mother, Julia had allowed Kyle to be taken by social services. Placement of children was kept confidential- with Kyle in the system, Julia had seen her opportunity to escape Ron's hold.

She was a clever woman and had seen in Bill Winston the means to find her son and bring him into the high life. At the time, she'd had no idea of Kyle's placement in jail, of Horatio's place in her son's life, or, indeed, of Horatio's true identity. After Ron's "death", the past year had been spent finding a peaceful balance between them for Kyle's sake.

Now, however, things were shifting again.

Julia had come to consider herself Horatio's woman.

She was not his wife. She had learned that Horatio had given that title to only one woman, for one day, the day she'd died. Julia could hold no hostility to a ghost; she only held a sense of gratitude and something else for the man, long familiar, a feeling almost forgotten in the years they'd spent apart.

Still, the happiness she felt in sharing the new safe house with Horatio and their son was dampened with the knowledge that Saris could be close, and no doubt plotting against them. She stared at the ceiling, thinking. Julia curled her toes, flexed the muscles in her legs. She took a deep breath, testing herself. There was no pain now, not so much as the echo of her past aches from the beatings she'd suffered on the morning of the kidnapping.

Julia was herself again. She felt confident in her strength and beauty.

However, she'd been kept within the confines of the new safe house for nearly three weeks, amounting to a total of three months under lock and key. The cabin fever was taking its toll- she wanted _out._

"I'm sorry, Julia, but the answer is no."

Earlier that afternoon, she'd glared at Horatio, both for his answer and the way it was delivered. It was easy for him to deny her plea to get out of the house- Horatio was free to roam the city all he wanted during the day, he couldn't relate to her growing desperation. Perhaps he'd forgotten that she was prone to grow restless.

Julia missed Miami. She missed the beach, shopping, her career, and driving through the glades. She understood the danger, but being in the house for so long was driving her insane. She had been kept alone with her thoughts of revenge against Saris for far too long. A plan was forming in her mind.

As she drifted to sleep, Julia surmised the one of two things had to happen the next morning: either Horatio would let her out of the safe house, or she would leave on her own.

The one absolute she knew was that she would kill Ron Saris once she was back into the world.

* * *

Kyle finished off a text to Kiera and set his phone aside as Horatio came outside to greet him. It was evening; Miami's bright sun had faded to muted dusk, no less beautiful or dangerous. Horatio cocked his head at the boy's phone. "Kiera?"

Kyle nodded. "Yeah. I want to take her out this weekend."

"Again? You've been seeing a lot of her lately. How's that going?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know, it's fine I guess. I've never really had a girlfriend before."

Horatio smiled slightly. "I think you're doing a fine job, son. Did she like the flowers for her birthday?"

"Yeah, she was happy."

"That's good." Horatio said. They were silent for a while after that, staring off into the distant marina, watching as the sailboats of the rich returned for the night.

"What about you?"

The man turned at the question. "Hmm?"

"How many girlfriends have you had?"

Horatio raised his brows, surprised. Kyle had rarely asked about his past, if ever, and certainly not on that aspect of his life. "Well, there have been a few. Not many. I have to be careful, you know I have enemies. There was...I was married once, but she was killed."

Kyle lowered his head slightly. "I know. Mom told me about that. Why did you marry her?"

"Marisol was sick, Kyle. She wanted to experience that part of life. We had been seeing each other for only a few weeks, but when she asked, I said yes. I wanted to take care of her. Riaz had other plans." Horatio said, feeling solemn for a moment as the memories flooded back. This was not a subject he spoke of often, but Kyle had a right to know his father.

The boy nodded. "If Ron hadn't been around, do you think you would have married mom?"

Again, Horatio was surprised. "I don't...it's hard to say, Kyle, but if things had been different, then yes. We both made mistakes, terrible mistakes back then. I should have been honest with her from the start, but when you're undercover it's just not an option. If she had told me about you, I would have kept her safe until my part in it was over. But, that was a long time ago, Kyle, and we're different people now."

His son nodded, seeming to understand. "Yeah, I get that, it's just...it's dumb, but I kind of like having us all in one place, you know? No real schedules or arranged meetings, it's all just right here."

Horatio understood what his son was implying. "I've enjoyed being here with the two of you too, Kyle. But this has been for your mother's protection- I can't take the risk that Saris won't come after her again. As long as he's out there, I want to stay close."

"But if Ron wasn't out there, I mean after you catch him, will you still be around?"

He nodded. "Yes, Kyle. I'll still be here."

"Because of mom?"

"Your mother and I...things were tense at first between us because neither one of us had known the truth. We've talked about it, several times. I understand her better now, Kyle, but I can't put that kind of pressure on her. It wouldn't be right. If anything happens, it has to be her decision." Horatio explained delicately.

He understood Kyle's want for he and Julia to reunite, for them all to live as a true family should, but Horatio was hesitant to take that step. He couldn't allow himself to become further involved with the woman while Saris was still out in the world, determined to kill her.

"But what if she wanted to?"

"I would be willing to try, for you, for her. But now is not the right time."

Kyle sighed, nodding. He understood his father's reasoning, in a way. Horatio had a painful past- he had lost many people close to him.

His brother, his wife, his parents and several friends.

It was Horatio's greatest fear to lose Kyle and Julia too.


	14. Chapter 14

Horatio noticed Julia's growing restlessness, her growing need to be out of the house and back in the world. He knew it wasn't fair to keep her under lock and key, not a prisoner but a cherished prize- it amounted to the same caged woman, Julia needed to be let out of the house.

She knew Horatio would refuse her if she asked for a day or two out of the house- the man could take overbearing to new heights. While she knew it was both Horatio's job and his personal investment to keep her safe, Julia couldn't escape the creeping thought that he enjoyed knowing where she was.

Julia shook her head. No. Horatio didn't have to worry that she would run away again. Her days of running, inventing new lives and living lies were over. She wanted a real life, the life she could have had. There was only one way that she could be free.

She cracked her knuckles and continued her letter. Perhaps she was getting ahead of herself, breaking out of her cage in this way, but she knew that Horatio- for all his instinct, skill and experience- would not be able to find Ron on his own. Simply, Julia knew Ron better than anyone alive, and as Ron was obsessed with finding her, she knew she had to let herself be found, and then make her move.

It was a risky, dangerous thing- Julia knew this. However, she also knew that she would spend the rest of her life afraid that Ron would resurface, ready to kill her or even worse, keep her alive to torture.

Julia blinked away a tear, trying to ignore the horrors that Ron and his men had done to her in that filthy warehouse. No. It would never happen again, not to her, not to the next girl that Ron would find after he'd killed her.

Horatio couldn't find Ron, but Julia could.

And once she found him, she would end it.

* * *

On his way back to the crime lab after assessing a murder scene, Horatio received very distressing news. It was late afternoon, Kyle was calling him from the safe house.

"Kyle?"

"Dad! Dad, she's gone, she left!"

"Son, calm down, what do you mean?"

On the other end of the line, Kyle took a deep breath. "Dad, mom left. I just got in, there was a letter on the table. She's not here."

Horatio changed his course, heading away from the lab and instead, to the safe house. Weaving through the Miami traffic was difficult, but as the siren blared through the air, he was able to reach the house that much faster.

Horatio came into the safe house to see Kyle, Frank and the UC officer who shadowed the boy throughout the day. He felt his heart dip, expecting the worst."What happened?"

Frank stepped up. "The surveillance signal on the house was cut barely an hour ago. I think Julia has a little more skill than we gave her cradit for, take a look." He said, indicating the wall on the far side of the living room.

Horatio turned to see exposed wires in a wall panel. He knew only too well what they were for, and easily recognized the improvised wirework to delay the alert that the safe house had been breached. Julia likely took off shortly after placing the delay, which meant she'd had a whole hour to herself to disappear into the heart of Miami.

But had she done it on her own, or had Saris found her?

"Dad, look, she left this for us." Kyle said, handing him the sheet of paper he'd found in the kitchen.

Horatio took the letter, his stomach twisting in dread.

_'Dear Horatio and Kyle,_

_By now you've found me gone from the house- but please don't come after me, I have to handle this on my own. I've had enough of running and always looking over my shoulder. I can't live that way anymore. I don't know how this will end, but I hope you can understand why I did this._

_Julia'_

Horatio took a deep breath, feeling Julia's voice in the words, knowing the letter was genuine and not written under force. Frank stepped in closer. "I've already called in the team. You have any idea where she's going?"

The man glanced over at Kyle; a look of understanding passing between them. "She's going after Saris on her own."

* * *

As Horatio, his team and every uniformed officer in the vicinity was searching for her, Julia was enjoying a mojito at the Tempari hotel. There was a tinge of nostalgia to the location for her; this was the first place Ron had turned her loose, testing her, waiting to see how skilled she was at capturing the attention of rich men.

She remembered the skimpy dresses and bikinis he'd forced her to wear, the ankle-breaking high heels. He'd used her as bait, expertly offering her to the highest bidder. The threat to Kyle was always present, Julia had gone along with Ron no matter how horrible the con- she'd done whatever Ron wanted to keep her son from harm.

It wasn't until years later that Julia had been able to get away, but Ron always found his way back to her.

Julia was tired of running. She'd thought she was free for the past year, but it seemed Ron would even come back from the dead to terrorize her. She couldn't let him ruin the life she was trying to build with Horatio and Kyle.

Horatio.

Julia knew he'd be furious with her when he found her again, but if she could get rid of Ron, then his anger with her would be worth it. They'd be free to reunite, to live as a family, to reclaim the life they could have had, those many years ago.

She sipped the drink, relishing the sweetness on her tongue. It had been a very long time since she'd last had a drink, and it'd been over ten years since she'd last been at the Tempari, but the place was still fresh in her mind. Ron had always loved this hotel, it had been the place to be, to see and be seen.

Woman's intuition told her that he'd be here. Julia knew she would not be disappointed.


	15. Chapter 15

She traced the rim of her glass, wondering if her plan was going to work; either way, Julia knew that she would have to face the consequence of her decision when it was over. She knew that this time, Horatio would not be there to save her in the end if Ron attacked again. There would be no arrests made and no rescue; it was likely that she would die, but it was a risk that Julia was willing to take.

If she died, she knew that Horatio would take care of their son and avenge her against Ron. However, she was not the same woman that the world had known before the morning of her attack. No longer was she the weak creature that Ron had beaten into submission throughout the past decade and no longer was she the manipulative male fantasy persona she'd created to survive.

Julia glanced up to have a look at herself in the bar mirror. She was a beautiful woman, she knew this, but there was strength in her gaze now where there had been none before. Yes, she was changed. That change was even now reflected in her choice of wardrobe; gone were the clinging dresses and spiked heels, gone were the jeans and tunics meant to hide her healing body. Julia had helped herself to a fitted leather blazer, meant to provide a bit of protection and to hide the new gun she'd stolen from a shop on her way to the hotel.

Nervously, she fingered the necklace Horatio had given to her the week before- it was nothing designer, just a simple thing she was sure that Kyle had pointed out, a no-reason gift, they'd called it. Still, she felt as if a part of Horatio was there with her when she needed the extra strength.

Horatio had perhaps put too much faith in her redemption; maybe she'd always be bad, but she would do one right thing tonight even if it meant risking her own life to do it.

"Somehow, I knew you'd find your way back here, one way or another."

Julia froze upon recognizing the voice directly behind her. It was Ron. He'd dressed for the day in his typical white suit; he looked every inch the successful Miami businessman were it not for the terrible burn scars that flared across the right side of his face. He moved to take the barstool beside hers, his voice deep and final.

As Ron was sitting on her right, the unmarred side of his face was turned to her- he was no less frightening than he had been on the day he'd attacked her, but Julia would allow no fear to show on her face. She had come too far and she knew she could not give in to fear when she was so close to ending it all.

Ron ordered a drink, and they sat side by side for a time, drinking and thinking in a strange silence.

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone, Ron?" Julia asked, watching his movements out of the corner of her eye.

Ron didn't move, save to lift his glass for a quick sip. "You should know the answer to that by now, babe. We could have had it all- I'd sell the bullets, we'd take the money, then take the boat down for a nice extended vacation. You turned your back on all that- and for what? For Caine?"

Julia closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, then she nodded. "Yes. For Horatio."

The man beside her laughed. "That's cute, the con-artist is still in love with the cop. Think he'll marry you after the honeymoon me and the boys put you through?"

Julia turned to face him then, head on. She didn't want to talk anymore. "Ron. Let's take this upstairs. The bar is getting a little crowded."

His gaze met hers, his expression grim with determination. Somehow, they both knew it was time to end it. "Julia, I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

No one paid any mind to the couple leaving the bar, the tall blond woman and the scarred man in the white suit. They were invisible, slipping through the waves of people, two criminals with a long shared past. That past would end, one way or another, but it would end.

Ron stepped onto the elevator and pressed the button that would take the chamber up to the rooftop penthouse. Julia noted his selection. "You always did go for style."

Beside her, he shrugged. "Hiding in plain sight, I think you know something about that. The safe houses weren't hard to find, Julia. I'll be sure to let Caine know how I found you when this is all over."

Julia shook her head. "I'll tell him myself when you're dead."

Ron laughed a little as the elevator chamber climbed the height of the hotel. "I'm not dying today or anytime soon, Julia, and we both know it. I wish I could say the same for your happy little family though. By the way, what's Kyle's birthday? They'll need to know that for his headstone."

The doors of the elevator opened and Julia exploded into action.

She drew her gun but before she could aim, Ron knocked it out of her hand, sending it sliding across the penthouse floor. Ron shoved Julia out of the way and dove for the gun but she jumped on him, clawing at his face, pulling his hair, doing anything she could to prevent him from getting to her gun.

It was a dirty, animal fight.

Too easily, Ron bucked her off of him, inadvertently sending her closer to the gun on the floor. Julia grabbed it and pointed the barrel at him, right as he stood and drew his own weapon.

They stood, deadlocked, trapped by the fear of the other's bullet.

"Put it down, Julia, and I won't kill you."

She allowed herself a hollow smile at his words. "No, you'll just treat me to more of the same from the morning you broke into my house, right? Use me, then let your friends use me? No, Ron, never again."

"Why not? It's all you're good for, I made damn sure of that. A good lay, but you're getting a little old for this work, Jules. I think it's time I brought out a new girl and teach her all the same tricks."

She shook her head. "You won't get the chance."

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I'll get the chance. You can trust me on that. Plenty of little sluts out there, all they need is some coaching and I'll have another one ready to take your place. Meanwhile, after I get through with you, you'll just be another Jane Doe in Caine's morgue. How does that sound to you, babe?"

"I'd say, drop your weapon."

Ron's eyes wavered from hers only slightly at the sound of Horatio's deep command. He kept his eyes on Julia's even as he addressed the other man behind him. "Hey, Red. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough, Ron. Put it down."

He ignored Horatio. "All three of us, it's like a reunion. Nice to see you again, Caine. I guess your safe house didn't work out the way you'd hoped, huh?"

Julia's eyes remained on Ron, ready to shoot if he made a single move. Still, she had to speak to Horatio, especially if this was her last chance. "I'm sorry, Horatio. I had to do this. I can't live being afraid of him anymore."

"Put your gun down, Julia." Horatio said as he moved out from behind Ron and closer to her, always keeping his gun trained on the other man.

"No! He won't stop until he's dead, I won't let him hurt me again!" Julia declared. Tears born of fear and anger were beginning to form in her eyes.

Horatio moved further out from behind Ron, to the side so that he could address her. "Julia, let me deal with him."

Ron took the opportunity to increase her tension, hoping she'd make a mistake. It was two against one with Horatio and Julia aiming their guns at him, but there was still a chance he could make it out alive. "Yeah, Julia, go right ahead and see how the wheels of justice turn. I'll be out on bail in an hour."

"Julia, you know that's not true, you know he's lying."

"I might be a bastard, Julia, but when have I ever lied to you? Horatio or John, whatever his name is- you think he loves you? You think you'll kill me and then walk away? You pull that trigger and he'll put you away for murder. Then he'll be free to get custody of Kyle, didn't that ever cross your mind?"

Horatio kept his gun trained on Saris, ready to fire in case the man took a shot at Julia. "Don't listen to him Julia. Remember what you told me, what he did to you and your family."

"You killed my dad, you let men do things to me...I was just a girl, how could you have done that?!" Julia sobbed. Her fingers tightened their grip on the gun, her hands were starting to shake.

"Don't do it, Julia. It's what he wants- don't do this, you're not like him."

"Not like me? Caine, you really don't know, do you? The things she's done would make a porn star blush, and she loved every minute of it! We were a great team-"

"Stop!" Julia yelled, ashamed at the memories welling in her mind.

"Why should I? It's the truth and you know it! She's filthy, Caine, a criminal through and through, just like me."

"Ron, shut up." Horatio ordered.

Ron laughed and tightened his grip on the trigger, "Go ahead, Julia, shoot me and see what happens to Kyle. After everything you've done, go ahead and see how fast the Lieutenant here makes his move to get the boy, go ahead, do it, do it!"

**_BANG!_**

Julia blinked. Ron fell.

She watched, feeling detached as Ron's eyes widened in surprise and pain. A deep red stain bloomed on the pristine white of his shirt. He slumped down onto his knees and then fell over to one side.

Ron Saris was dead. It was over.

Confused, disconnected, Julia looked at the gun she still held in her shaking hands. What happened? How had...?

"Julia."

She looked up at Horatio. He holstered his weapon and stepped closer to her, concern in his eyes. "Julia, are you all right?"

"I...I didn't..."

"No, I did it. I couldn't let you take a life, Julia. Not even his."

The emotions came over her, a swirling mass of anger, resentment and a strange, intense relief. "You...Horatio, no! It had to be me! I had to do it, for what he did to me!"

Julia dropped her gun, breaking down to cry. Horatio moved in to hold her, to try keeping her calm. "Julia, I had to."

"He was going to get another girl, I had to stop him, I couldn't let him do it all over again. He was...he..."

"Julia, I know. It's over now. It's over."

Distantly, Horatio heard the elevator _ding_ in the hallway before the penthouse. He knew Julia would be charged if she was found at the scene. He hadn't saved her life to see her spend it in jail for attempted murder. She didn't need to be questioned now, not after everything that had happened. He would deal with the fallout, even take a hit if it meant protecting her from the mayhem she'd caused.

"Julia, listen to me. You have to get out of here, do you understand? Just get back to the safe house. You can't let anyone see you. Do you hear me? Do it, now."

Unable to fight him, Julia slipped out of the penthouse, unnoticed and unseen.

* * *

"It was pretty lucky that you found Saris, Horatio. You have a hunch?"

Horatio glanced up at Rick Stetler, an agent from Internal Affairs. The men shared a spotted history, from professional rivalry to personal grudges, however as far as the job was concerned they had their priorities straight.

He shook his head. "No, Rick. I got a tip from an informant that spotted Saris at the bar. I figured he'd been holed up here, and the penthouse offers the most privacy. Saris has been here for weeks." Horatio said, indicating the clothes in the suite closet and the neat stack of take-out receipts on an end table.

Rick nodded. "And you're sure it was just the two of you here?"

Horatio narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at, Rick?"

The darker man glared at him. "You know exactly what I'm getting at. The safe house monitoring system was breached. The witness took off and then you find Saris in less than an hour after three months without a single lead on his whereabouts?"

Horatio returned the man's stare but remained silent.

Rick speared frustrated fingers through his hair. "Just once, I'd love it if you wouldn't feed me some crap on this case. First you said you wouldn't get personally involved, then the next thing I know you've moved in with the witness, playing house. Want to know what I think? I think our star witness got out of the safe house with your help, then made contact with Saris so the two of you could finish the job you started last year by blowing up that boat."

Horatio kept his gaze steady, meeting Rick's eyes. Finally, Horatio took a deep breath. "I guess we'll never know, will we?"

Rick frowned as he watched Horatio stalk out of the penthouse, determined to get back to Julia.

* * *

Horatio drove away from the Tempari hotel; after what happened there, he didn't want to go there ever again. He felt restless now, and anxious to find Julia, wherever she'd gone. He had come to know her in their time together, or at least he thought he had. He'd never thought the woman would go after Saris herself!

She could have been killed, or tortured even worse than she had during her kidnapping.

_'When I find her, I'll-'_

Horatio stopped his angry train of thought as he glanced over to the boardwalk. He pulled his Hummer in closer to be sure. Yes, there she was. He pulled over and got out of the vehicle. She was staring out to the ocean, watching the sun dance on the waves. He stepped in closer and stood beside her at the railing, watching the water with her for a moment. A sailboat passed them by.

"Where's that gun?"

She nodded, not taking her eyes off the water. "I wiped my prints and scattered the bullets. The gun's empty, I tossed it in the bay."

Horatio took a deep breath. The gun wasn't important anymore. "He's dead. I made sure of it this time."

Julia turned her eyes to him finally. "He was mine to kill, Horatio. You should have just let me-"

"Let you what? Let you kill him yourself or get shot trying? No, Julia. I couldn't stand by and let that happen. You've never taken a life."

Julia glared. "How do you know? Ron was right, Horatio- you don't know anything about me, what I've done, who I've been with-"

"None of that matters to me, Julia. What Ron forced you to do, it's over. I know you now, the woman you were at the safe house- that's the real you. You're not a killer and you're not a con-artist anymore."

She laughed with a distinct lack of humor. "You don't know when to stop, Horatio! I conned you pretty well, didn't I? I've been planning my escape for weeks. I was waiting until I was strong again before finding Ron and then killing him myself. I just didn't count on you showing up in the middle of our stand-off."

If her words hurt him, Horatio didn't show it. "So it was all a lie, that's what you're telling me?"

Julia looked at the water and then back to him. She sighed, not wanting to pretend anymore. "Not everything. When we were...I had to make sure Ron couldn't do to another girl what he'd already done to me, can't you understand that?"

"Yes, I can. That's how I found you."

"What are you talking about?"

Horatio reached forward to finger the charm on the necklace he'd given her the week before, her simple gift. Julia tried not to shiver as he touched her. "It has a GPS chip inside. Old habit. I couldn't let you disappear on us again. When I realized where you'd gone, I knew what you were planning to do. I know your every reason for wanting Saris dead, Julia. I just couldn't let you pull the trigger."

Julia sighed, hating that he'd tricked her into wearing a GPS signal. Despite everything, it made her laugh a little at her own foolishness. "I could have done it."

"I know, but that's why I couldn't let you do it. There are some things you can't come back from, Julia."

"The only difference between us is a badge, Horatio. It would have been justice."

Horatio dipped his head slightly. "You're right. But Saris is an experienced killer, Julia. Even if you'd shot him, he would have killed you in the end. You know that."

"You think that hadn't occured to me? It would have been worth it if he died with me."

He grasped her arms, shaking her slightly. "Julia, don't say that again. You have a family now, you can't have wanted to end it that way."

She tried to pull away, but Horatio wouldn't let her, not this time. "Answer me, Julia."

"No. I didn't want to die, but I knew there was a risk, and that risk would have been worth it if I could stop him. Anyway it doesn't matter now. Ron is dead and I'm free- I'll never be hurt by him or anyone else ever again."

Horatio released her. "What will you do now?"

She shrugged. "I want to get back to my life. Go back home, get back to my career and start living again."

"And Kyle?"

"Things will go back to normal. The way things were before Ron came for me. It's what's best for us all."

Horatio didn't have to ask where that left their relationship, he could see it already. Julia was shutting him out.

* * *

"So, how come you and mom don't talk anymore?"

Horatio glanced over at Kyle. Since the case closed on Saris, Julia had wasted little time in reclaiming the Winston house and the old routines that went along with it; namely, Horatio was forced back into the role of part-time father to Kyle by the custody agreement. He had tried to talk to Julia several times, but she'd rebuffed his attempts each time. She needed time to clear her mind, to settle and think about what she truly wanted from life. Nearly being killed has a way of making things complicated, and Julia had been a complicated woman from the start.

Horatio felt that she'd played him for a fool, tricking him into believing they could reunite, while she was using him for protection until she became strong enough to take Saris on by herself.

He cleared his throat, unsure how to best answer the boy's question. "Son, your mother and I...things changed after Ron was killed, Kyle. I can't speak for her, but I think she needs time to readjust back into her old life."

The boy frowned as they continued walking side by side down the marina. "She's not happy, dad. I could hear her crying last night."

Horatio turned to him. "I don't know how to help her, son. Since that last day at the safe house, she's refused to talk to me. I want things back the way they were before, but it has to be her decision, and only when she's ready to make it."

Kyle rubbed the back of his neck for a moment, thinking. "Girls are a pain. Kiera broke up with me a few days ago."

"What? Why? I thought things were going well between you two." Horatio felt for the boy- nothing hurt worse than losing that first girlfriend.

Kyle only shrugged. "I don't know. She said she needed some space and that she wanted to spend more time with her friends, but now she's going out with this guy on the basketball team. It's not fair."

He smiled slightly and ruffled the boy's hair. "No, it's not fair. I wish I had some better advice for you, Kyle, but the simple truth is that women are complicated."

"Women like mom."

"Especially women like your mother. She was bad for years, and now she has the opportunity to be good. Whether she's with me or not, I want her to be good again."

Kyle nodded. "Me too. I just liked it better when we were all together."

"Me too, son. Me too."

Giving in to a sudden resolve, Horatio slipped on his sunglasses and made a plan.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

Horatio didn't like the scathing tone of voice in Julia's question. He frowned at her. "I came to talk."

"Where's Kyle?"

"I dropped him off with some friends so we could have privacy." He said. His implication was direct.

Julia glared. Her bright eyes were red-rimmed from an earlier upset, but she did not let on. "I don't have time right now. I have things to do, so I'm sorry you wasted the drive back here but you need to leave-"

"Julia, stop this. I'm the same man I was at the safe house- talk to me."

The woman glared, feeling cornered and pressed by his presence in her home. "Horatio, I don't-"

He moved forward to take her hands in his. "Julia, you can't run from me. The woman you were under Saris is gone, you have to accept that and start living again. Where's the Julia who came to talk to me at night, the Julia who came out of the attack was the real you, not this-"

"Stop it, Horatio. I don't want to talk about this."

"You don't have that choice now, Julia. You've been avoiding this for weeks. Now, tell me if I'm wasting my time. Is this how you want things to end between us?"

Horatio's eyes searched hers, searching for a hint of remorse for her actions. Tears began to well in her eyes, proving her a liar for the way she'd pushed him away. "I...I didn't...Horatio, I'm sorry."

The woman crumbled before him, giving in to the heavy weight she'd carried since the day they'd parted, the day Ron Saris had died. Horatio took her, moving them both to the low sofa. He held her as he had before, stroking her back in an effort to soothe. This is what he'd hoped for, for her to break her stony facade and come back to him.

"I don't want it to be this way, Horatio, but Ron was right all along."

"What do you mean?"

"In everything, it's my first instinct to lie- I have to bite my tongue and remember to tell the truth. How could you want to be with someone like that?"

Horatio shook his head. "I saw the real Julia at the safe house, I'll fight to see her again. Aren't you tired of it, Julia? The lying and running? I know you are. It's time to leave that behind and come back to me. We can make this work, Julia. If you fall, Kyle and I will be there to pick you up."

Julia dipped her head, thinking. "Such wonderful promises, Horatio. I don't know if I can do it. I want to, but I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you or Kyle again..."

He put his hand over hers. "Julia, look at me. We can make this work, I know we can. We have to try."

Overcome, Julia allowed more tears to slip down her face. Their world was in her hands.


	16. Chapter 16

So it went, but the road to reunion was not easy.

Despite his own hostility to the idea of therapy, Horatio had supported Julia in her decision to seek the help of a respected psychologist. The man, a Dr. Bates, seemed committed to helping Julia through the trust issues she'd developed over the years; her lying and manipulating impulses were falling behind her, into a past that played a lesser role in her life.

As for the woman herself?

Julia stared out over the water, watching the white sails course over Miami waters. The sun was setting on another hot, glorious day of color. She glanced down to see Kyle strolling the beach with his new girlfriend, another girl from his school. She smiled slightly, happy that her son had found someone to be close with for a time.

A warm hand came over her shoulder. Julia smiled and turned to face Horatio. "Keeping an eye on him, making sure he stays out of trouble?"

She nodded. "He's our son, he's nothing _but_ trouble."

"I wouldn't say that, he's getting better at staying on the straight and narrow." Horatio reasoned, handing her a drink.

Without rushing into anything too deep, Horatio and Julia had agreed to take things slow. He came around a few times a week, and they had all agreed to family dinner on the weekends, without fail. This had been the first time Kyle had brought his new girl over to his mother's house.

Julia cocked her head in the direction of the two teenagers. "I like her. Do you?"

The man shrugged. "I like that he likes her. Are you going to see Dr. Bates tomorrow?"

Julia took a deep breath. Horatio was curious about her therapy sessions, but the man hadn't pried for information. Unbeknownst to him, she and the doctor had reached a sort of agreement; it was time for Julia to stand on her own. "I'm not going to be seeing him anymore, Horatio. It's time to try the honest life on my own."

He raised his brows but didn't seem upset by the announcement. "You're sure?"

"Yes. I'm not saying it'll be easy...but Ron's gone now- there's no more reason to be afraid, no more reason to hold back. I can live now, and you can live with me."

Her implied invitation lingered on the air. Horatio gave her his best half-smile. He took her hand, squeezing it affectionately. "Yes, Julia, we can move on from the past. You, me and Kyle."

It was what they had all worked so hard for, what they were entitled to. Together they would rebuild from their past and take the first steps toward becoming a family again.


End file.
